One of the Marauders
by unencumberedwords
Summary: As Lily and James' relationship grows, so does the dark side. And it has infiltrated Hogwarts more than they think. But Voldemort's Death Eaters are not always as trustworthy as they seem, are they?
1. Chapter 1: Run to Privet Drive

**Disclaimer: Although I certainly wish all these characters had been the product of my own amazing mind, they are in fact all J.K. Rowling's. I just make up the bits she left out. Hopefully in an interesting and witty way :)**

**A/N: I've made a few changes to make sense with the last couple of books. For example, James being Head Boy. I wasn't aware of that when I started. I also added a few scenes between Lily and Sirius to give them some closure and to make Sirius' intentions clearer. Sorry to make you guys read again...the new chapter will still make sense even if you don't reread. R/R please!**

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**Chapter One**

A Run To Privet Drive

An owl watched solemnly from its perch on the roof of number 7 Crescent Drive as a redheaded figure slowly made its way out of the second floor window, and cautiously began to climb down the drainpipe. The owl hooted in a questioning manner, flapping its snowy white wings. The figure paused. The face gazed up at the roof and at the owl. It was that of a sixteen-year old girl, her pale skin and almond-shaped, emerald green eyes glistening in the moonlight, her soft lips parted in surprise. Apparently deciding the owl's unusual behavior was nothing to worry about; she proceeded to make her way down the drainpipe, wincing as her foot clanked against the rusted metal.

The owl hooted again, this time impatiently.

"What?" She hissed, dropping onto the dewy grass below.

As if in response, the owl swooped down and landed on a birch besides her, but not before dropping a letter at her feet.

The girl sighed.

"_Another_ one?" She inquired at no one in particular. The owl, satisfied with his delivery, hooted again and flew off into the glittering sky. She picked up the letter and recognized the messy writing scrawled on the parchment. It matched the handwriting of the three letters she had previously received that night, each one making her even more irritated. She opened the letter hurriedly and read the latest installment of James Potter's plans:

_Okay, Lily, I promise this is the last. Again, we must change our plans as Sirius is having problems getting out of his house tonight. We have to get Remus to the Shrieking Shack between the two of us somehow. He made us promise we'd be there with him tonight. Meet me at the end of Privet Drive at 11:30. I'll be there waiting._

**_James_**

Lily Evans glanced at the Muggle watch on her wrist. It was 11:20.

"Damn it."

She took her wand out, whispered, "_Lumos_," and with her wand's soft light leading the way, sprinted down Crescent Drive and down Magnolia Lane. _Leave it to James to make this as difficult as possible,_ she thought to herself. The air was thick with the scent of freshly mown grass and honeysuckle, and a warm summer breeze enveloped Lily in a soft embrace she was thankful for in the dark of the night. Little Whinging was quiet as the neat, square houses succumbed to the drowsiness of the summer evening, and yet Lily ran now, full speed, down Victoria Drive, past their slumbering owners. The luminous numbers on her watch read 11:27, and she was still two blocks away.

Finally, with a last spurt of speed, she reached the end of Privet Drive. It was 11:30. James was nowhere to be seen. Out of breath and annoyed at his lack of punctuality, she collapsed onto the carefully trimmed lawn of number 4. Looking up at the willow tree hanging droopily over her, her emerald green eyes met a pair of hazel eyes, flashing with amusement beneath extremely untidy black hair. The owner's tan face grinned at her handsomely.

"Looking for me?" James inquired, laughter bubbling behind his carefree tone.

"You? No actually, I'm meeting some other bloke here in the dead of the night. We're eloping on a romantic trip to Guatemala. Nothing to do with werewolves and...boys," she added lamely, slowly staggering to her tired feet.

James laughed. "Well, I don't know about Guatemala, but the rest sounds deathly boring to me. Come, Lily Evans! I will sweep you off your feet and on an adventure of a lifetime with absolutely everything to do with werewolves and boys!"

He jumped down from the tree and in one swift motion twirled Lily around as if on a dance floor. Her laughter echoed down the empty street, and suddenly the night seemed a little bit brighter.

"So what do you say, Lily?" James whispered. Lily hastily backed away from him, her face flushed and eyes beaming.

She grinned at him.

"I say you're ridiculously full of yourself, Potter. Let's go."

"Excellent."

James retrieved his Nimbus from behind the willow and hastily climbed on. Lily eyed him closely as he scrawled a message to Sirius telling him they were on their way to pick up Remus, a mischievous grin permanently plastered on his face. There was no trying to understand why he loved danger so much. Perhaps that's what had made Lily stop hating him.

The snowy owl that had earlier reprimanded Lily swooped down onto his broom, pecking his owner affectionately on his finger.

"This goes to Sirius, Apollo. And we'll be at Hogsmeade later, okay?"

The owl hooted and took off at once. Lily watched as his white feathers melted into the starry sky, her face expressing both excitement and worry at that night's future events. James studied her from where he hovered on his Nimbus, and then cleared his throat.

"Your valiant steed awaits, m'lady."


	2. Chapter 2: Padfoot and Prongs Reunited

**A/N: Thanks to all who review! This chapter has a few changes regarding James arrogance. I wanted to make that more apparent. Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 2**

Padfoot and Prongs Reunited

James' Nimbus flew swiftly through the warm summer breeze and Lily could not help but think this had to be the best feeling in the world. Her state of euphoria quickly disintegrated, however, as James flew through a patch of particularly wet cumulus.

"Sorry about that," he muttered, briskly brushing his now sopping wet hair out of his face.

"Potter!" Lily cried, hanging on to James' broad shoulders to keep from slipping off the broom handle. Whatever magical moments she had just had with James back on ground were now just as damp and cold as she was.

As they passed over London, James started to descend.

"S-s-shouldn't w-we _try_ to land in a less, um, conspicuous spot, James?" Lily shivered in his ear sarcastically.

"Er...right."

He chose a wooded park far from the bright lights of the city. Soon Lily' feet were safely back on the ground. The long trip on James' Nimbus had been far from comfortable, and she found herself wishing she still had her own Nimbus. It had sadly been destroyed by a particularly violent rogue bludger in her last Quidditch match, and she had yet to make it to Diagon Alley to buy another.

James shivered and took a map out of his pocket. Lily was suddenly extremely grateful that they could use magic.

"Come here, Potter," she sighed. She waved her wand and instantly James' robes were dry, his hair messier than ever.

"Thanks," he grinned, reaching for the map once more. Lily performed the same charm on herself, throwing James a dirty look for being so careless. James looked over at her. "You know, I've heard they're thinking of outlawing magic altogether outside of school for underage wizards?"

"Really? I mean, it's already illegal to use magic in the presence of Muggles, isn't it? And obviously, once in a while, it is necessary to use magic to keep Muggles from finding out what we truly are. I would assume the Ministry would have more sense..."

"The Ministry has never had sense to begin with," muttered James bitterly.

He turned back to the map. "Okay, as far as I can tell, we're not that far from Remus'. He lives on Moonlit Street, number 33." He chuckled at the surprised look on Lily's face. "Ironic, isn't it? Anyway, we're only six or seven blocks away..._Point me_," he whispered to his wand. The wand instantly twirled on his palm and pointed north. Lily and he started off down a brick path surrounded by willows, moonlight seeping through their feathery branches.

"So...Ms. Evans, do you regret passing up on Guatem- aaaaaaagh."

James stopped talking, his face frozen in terror as a great, black, snarling dog hurled itself from behind a tree and pounced on him, its great claws ripping at his jumper. Almost as suddenly as it appeared, it seemed to change moods completely, its great mouth pulling back into a grin and began licking James' face and barking happily.

"Sirius, you git! Getoff! Getofff!"

James swiped at the dog's nose. He yelped and rolled onto the leaf-strewn ground, no longer a dog, but a 16-year old boy, his handsome face contorted in laughter as James got angrily back to his feet.

"You — shoulda— seen—your face!" Sirius choked out in between chortles. James muttered something about just being surprised and not paying attention and threatened to do something to Sirius that only made him laugh harder.

"Hullo, Sirius," Lily smiled.

"Lilykins!" Sirius cried out, jumping to his feet and sweeping her in his arms. He flashed her a proud grin, his long jet-black hair hanging with casual elegance down over grey eyes that were always twinkling with mischief. He seemed to share the same reckless confidence James possessed, but his sense of danger was virtually nonexistent.

"I thought you were meeting us at the Shack, Padfoot," James inquired.

"Ah, yes...well I managed to escape the most noble house of Black after all. 'Course I had to endure a nasty battle with my parents and eventually tied Kreacher up in the attic, but no matter..." He glanced at Lily then back at James. "Er– sorry if I interrutpted some–"

"WE SHOULD GO!" James hurled himself at Sirius, shoving him further down the path and towards the street. Sirius looked back at Lily and winked.

Lily arched her eyebrows and followed the two, watching as they shoved each other teasingly. A little over a year ago, she would have refused to so much as to talk to James and Sirius. They were known at Hogwarts for being cavalier and overly confident. Gryffindors adored them, Slytherins despised them, and every girl in the school fancied them. Before their 6th year however, James and Sirius had gotten into the habit of hexing anyone that got in their way. Lily hated how cruel they were to Severus Snape, even though she particularly did not care for him either. She hated how James was always showing off for Sirius, who was bored unless he was in the face of danger. She hated how James always rumpled up his hair because he thought it looked cool and how he thought he was so much better than everyone else just because he could fly around on a broomstick and throw a stupid ball.

But it was the beginning of 6th year that changed her attitude towards him forever. The Hogwarts Express had just left Platform 9 ¾ and Lily and the other prefects were patrolling the hallways of the train. Lily found herself alone outside a Slytherin compartment. At first glance they seemed to simply be entranced by something Lucius Malfoy was saying, but a closer look revealed Peter Pettigrew, a peaky boy with mousy brown hair and watery eyes, cowering under the sneering faces of Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, Snape and Bellatrix Black's threatening wand...

- - -

Lily waved her wand and the compartment door flew open.

"What do you think you're doing, exactly?" She snarled.

Bellatrix looked up, surprised. With the same dark features as her cousin, Sirius, Bellatrix could have been beautiful, but at that moment her features were contorted into a look of utter disgust. "Get out of here, Mudblood," she spat out.

"Now, now, Bellatrix, be nice, Evans here is just joining the fun, aren't you?" Malfoy peered at Lily with a sudden interest. "I was just telling Bellatrix here how my father just taught me a new curse the other day. Would you like to see it?"

"Don't you dare touch Pettigrew, Malfoy, if you know what's good for you."

Lily tried not to let them see how uneasy she felt. Perhaps it had not been the best idea to come into the compartment alone, but she couldn't have left Peter there to be jinxed. Just then the compartment door opened behind her and the Lestrange brothers, Rabastan and Rodolphus, and Regulus Black stalked in.

"Well, well, what have we here?" Sneered Rodolphus, a stalky boy with light brown hair and menacing yellow eyes.

"I was just about to show Evans, here, the curse I learned this summer," explained Malfoy calmly. "Perhaps she'll be nice enough to volunteer...?"

"LILY GET OUTTA HER– GETOFF ME– LILY–!" Crabbe grabbed Pettigrew and threw him onto the luggage rack, gagging him with a wave of his wand.

"What do you say, Evans?" Malfoy moved in closer. Lily looked around. She was completely surrounded by Slytherins, and strangely enough the corridor seemed completely empty.

"Come on, Malfoy, let her go. A prefect's bound to be missed isn't sh–?"

"REGULUS! Are you MAD? She's a MUDBLOOD!" Bellatrix screeched at the small pale boy in front of her. Sirius's younger brother turned to face her and gave her a look that made her stop talking immediately.

"I am quite aware, Bellatrix," he retorted coolly. "If you weren't so thick, perhaps, you too, would think about the consequences this would have for the–" he stopped short and glanced at Lily. "–For us." He finished. "Potter and my brother are sure to be on her tail, let her go."

"No." Malfoy turned his back on Regulus. He raised his wand and pointed it at Lily.

Lily instantly came to life.

"_Cruci_–"

"_Expelliarmus_!" Lily cried out, whipping out her wand. Lucius' wand flew out of his hand to be caught by Regulus. He looked at Lily.

"You don't know who you're dealing with, Evans."

"And neither do you, _brother_."

The compartment door was once again slammed open, this time shattering and sending shards of glass flying. Sirius, James and Remus Lupin stood in the corridor wands out, looking outraged and ready to curse the living daylights out of the Slytherins.

"Clever trick you guys did there, cursing all the doors shut," James smiled evilly at Malfoy. "'Course, made it a bit obvious who did it when only yours kept opening and closing..."

Lily peered out into the corridor and noticed students forcing their compartment doors open with confused and frustrated looks on their faces.

"Yes, Potter, I imagine it's not very hard to impress you with simple charms," hissed Snape.

"Shut up, please," James said coolly, pointing his wand at Snape. Instantly, Snape's mouth seemed to be sewed shut. Sirius laughed and turned on his brother.

"If I ever catch you doing something like this again, Regulus, rest assured you will regret it."

"We haven't done anything, Sirius." Regulus looked calmly at his older brother. He waved towards the door. "By all means, leave, do not disgrace us any longer…_blood traitor_."

Sirius, his face flushed, glared at Bellatrix, who was chuckling in the corner and then turned on his heel. "Remus, get Peter off the luggage rack, will you?" He stormed out of the compartment but not before hexing Crabbe, Goyle and Malfoy with a Furnunculus Charm. Instantly, their faces broke out in ugly boils.

"Let's go," whispered James to Lily, grabbing her hand. They slipped out with Remus and Peter as Bellatrix and the Lestranges hurriedly tried to assuage their fellow Slytherins' now pussing boils. Regulus simply watched them as they left, never blinking his cold, dark blue eyes.

Lily finally understood why James and Sirius hated Snape and the Slytherins so much. She didn't think it was right to of them to hex their enemies every two seconds, but she found, as she was invited back to the "Marauder's" compartment, that she was developing a bit of a warm spot for them. They had, after all, come to the aid of their friend...and her.

- - -

"EARTH TO LILYKINS!"

Lily saw Sirius waving his arms wildly at her a few feet away and then smacked straight into a green jumper smelling strongly of dog. She looked up, embarrassed, into the smiling face of James.

"Care to walk a bit faster there?" Sirius yelled back to them impatiently, already a block ahead of them.

Without noticing, Lily now found herself out of the park and ways into a small village. It seemed to be a bit of a ghost town, on the outskirts of London. Lawns were unkempt, but surprisingly thriving with all sorts of strange plants. As they progressed further into the village, she noticed the houses looked less and less broken down. Gnomes ran sneakily from bush to bush, and she thought she saw a pixie fly by, it's tongue stuck out rudely.

"Muggle Disillusion charm, huh?" James observed. "Haven't actually ever been here. Sirius usually picks Remus up. Seems like a Wizarding village though, doesn't it?"

Lily eyed what at first seemed like an abandoned building; as she neared, she could make out the sign that read MADAME MORKIN'S WIZARDWEAR. She nodded. The night had grown colder since they left Little Whinging, and now she regretted the shorts she had decided to wear.

"I do hope Remus is alright tonight...he does manage to have some, er, _calm_ transformations, doesn't he?

James laughed. "Yes, he does manage to stay good old Moony sometimes. Don't worry Lils... it'll be fine." He patted her lightly on the back. "And if it's not, well, you've had a good life, eh?" He grinned. A dog (or something else) howled in the moonlight.

"I was hoping for a few more years at least..."

"No worries," James cocked her his signature grin. "I'll protect you." He puffed his chest out for emphasis.

"Oh, how could I ever repay you?" Lily snapped.

He sidled closer to her, twirling a strand of her hair around his finger. "I'm sure we can work something out…"

Lily shoved him away, just as Sirius' voice carried in the summer breeze.

"Hey, lovebirds!" Sirius was standing in front of a blue cottage with possibly the only neat garden on the street. "We've got a werewolf waiting in case you forgot—"

"STUFF IT, SIRIUS," James hollered back. He turned to Lily, who was now a deep shade of scarlet. "Let's go, he'll have a cow..." They made their way slowly to the front door.

"Erm...do we knock...or what?"

"Up here!" Sirius hissed at them, standing right outside a second floor window. Suddenly the front door opened revealing a disgruntled looking woman with flyaway mousy brown hair in a hair net and a shockingly pink robe.

"SIRIUS BLACK! Come off my roof and use the front door like normal wizards do!"

They heard Sirius groan. "Miserable old — Ah! Mrs. Lupin!"

She turned her gaze to James and Lily standing before her. "Well don't just stand there!" She smiled kindly. "Poor Remus is waiting for you in the kitchen. Mind you lot better change now, he's a bit...excited tonight." She turned and bustled off into the kitchen. They heard another distinct howl; this time sure it came from Moony.

"I was hoping to just sneak off with the beast, she always makes us stay till morning with her damn tea...well come on, we better change." Sirius leapt off the roof, simultaneously transforming once more into Padfoot. The large black dog hurriedly joined the glistening stag and shining phoenix now waiting for him by the front door.


	3. Chapter 3: Lupin's Troubles

**A/N: Not too many changes here, just some grammar corrections. :)**

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** Chapter 3**

Lupin's Troubles

Within the hour, Sirius had finally convinced Mrs. Lupin to let them be on their way to the Shrieking Shack.

"Floo Powder, tonight, dears?" She asked hopefully.

Her kitchen was perhaps the strangest scene Lily had ever come across. Remus was strangely docile, slumped in one of the wooden chairs around the small circular table. He would burst into howling fits periodically, his furry face twisted in pain. Sirius and James seemed to be in a silent conversation, James looking over at Remus and nervously shifting his hooves. Sirius looked inquiringly at Mrs. Lupin.

"Yes...this is the second time this summer he's acted this way. It's taking him longer and longer to transform back these days. He's been rather stressed out. Worried about N.E.W.T's already. I says to him, "Remus! You're on holiday, dear, relax!" But you know him, never listens. Anyway, few days with you lot, and he'll be back to normal in a jiffy, won't he?" She smiled, peering over at Lily who was perched on the granite counter. "Haven't met this young lady before though. Lovely, dear."

Lily let out a single unwavering note, which hung in the air serenely until Sirius let out a sharp, impatient bark. Mrs. Lupin jumped and bustled out of the kitchen. Sirius barked again, nodding his black head towards the living room. James nudged the now snoring Remus gently with his muzzle. Remus jerked awake, his paws clawing at the air. Oriented once more, he followed James reluctantly out of the kitchen. Lily stretched her brilliant red wings and swooped over their heads, landing gently on a comfy blue velvet sofa by the grand fireplace.

"Right," said Mrs. Lupin. "Now listen, Sirius Black. Stay out of trouble, you hear me? This is simply to be a nice vacation for poor Remus before he goes back to Hogwarts. We can't send him back with him acting like this all the time. I want owls everyday, and make sure he gets out of the Shack a bit, he's looking a bit pale..."

James snorted at this. Lily assumed it was due to the fact that Remus was undoubtedly always pale. Mrs. Lupin looked over at him and sighed. "Alright, get out of here, you lot. Ladies first, dear?" She looked over to the sofa where Lily was absentmindedly picking at her wing feathers.

Mrs. Lupin threw a handful of powder and yelled, "Shrieking Shack!" just as Lily swooped into the fireplace. In a puff of green smoke, Lily found herself spinning around quickly, catching glimpses of different wizards' rooms. Finally with a crash she was thrown into a dark dusty parlor. She flapped her wings, ridding herself of the soot and ashes now covering her feathers, simultaneously looking around the strange room she had just barged into.

The windows were all boarded up and the old furniture had a thick layer of dust on it. Looking closer at a chair next to her, she noticed scratches and marks on the wood as if a dog (or something bigger) had taken a bite to its leg.

Just then there was another crash and a stag leapt out of the fireplace, nearly trampling Lily. Lily screeched and ruffled her feathers angrily at James, who bowed his head sheepishly. Sirius followed, edging along an extremely reluctant Remus. All of the sudden, the stag disappeared in a cloud of dust, and James reappeared in its stead. Sirius let out a loud bark, snarling at James, and leapt in the space between him and Remus.

"Sirius, look at him!" James cried, pointing at Remus' slumped form. "He's not going to attack anyone tonight."

Indeed, Moony did look extremely under the weather. He looked at James with almost a bored expression on his face. He seemed less like a hungry werewolf, and more like a moody teenager. Sirius seemed to notice Remus' lack of reaction to James, and he too, returned to his human form.

"Well, wish you had said something earlier there, Prongs, that Floo ride isn't exactly enjoyable when you have four paws and a tail to watch out for."

James snorted again and walked slowly over to Lily.

"Wow...never been this close to a phoenix before," he said, reaching his hand out to stroke one of Lily's wings. His face showed absolute awe as he studied her wing carefully. Lily was sure if she were in her human form, the color of her face would have far surpassed that of her hair. His eyes finally rested on her emerald green ones, and he seemed to come to the realization that he was actually standing inches from one of his best friends. James laughed, blushing as well. "Sorry, Lils."

* * *

The next morning Lily woke with a stiff back and her head resting gently on James' chest. He was in no better state, sitting on the sofa with his neck awkwardly bent to allow his head to rest on the arm. Sirius, she noticed had simply fallen asleep on the rug by the fireplace, feet away from a now transformed Remus, who was sitting up, tracing pictures with his finger in the thick layer of dust that covered the floorboards. He heard her stirring, and looked up. He had dark circles around his eyes and a large scratch on the side of his face. He looked absolutely exhausted, but smiled at Lily anyway.

"Nice sleep?" He asked quietly.

Lily smiled back and massaged her aching neck. "Oh yes."

"Sorry- er- 'bout last night...didn't mean to..."

"Don't worry about it, Moony," she whispered kindly. "Not like you had any control over it."

Lily looked down at her arm, which was scratched badly from her shoulder to her wrist. From the looks of it, it had managed to stop bleeding while she was sleeping. She looked over at James and noticed him holding a rag largely covered with splotches of blood. He was now sporting a brilliant black eye himself, and his left trouser leg was completely ripped below the knee, his leg covered in dried blood.

Sometime around three in the morning, Lily, Sirius and James had been keeping Remus company by entertaining him with an extremely violent game of chess, when his dulcet mood took a turn for the worst. With a penetrating howl, he swiped at the chessboard and sent it flying across the room. He lunged at Lily who sat frozen facing him. She screamed as he swiped at her, claws ripping her skin.

Padfoot and Prongs had managed to hold Remus back long enough for Lily to transform into her Animagus form once more, making Moony slightly safer in their presence. Though still angry at his sudden lack of food, Remus had calmed down and fell asleep shortly before dawn. Sirius, however, had been slammed against a wall while in fierce combat with Moony and had been knocked out for several hours. As he lay on the rug, Lily noticed a nasty cut on his temple that was still bleeding profusely.

"I did manage quite a bit of damage though, didn't I?" Remus eyed Sirius worriedly.

"They'll live, Moony."

Lily moved from the sofa and walked carefully over to Sirius, wincing as her arm throbbed painfully. She knelt on the rug next to him and shook him gently awake.

"Whassamatter?" Sirius groggily blinked his eyes, and attempted to sit up only to fall back onto the floor again. He groaned. "Aargh, Moony, you certainly do have mood swings..."

Remus chuckled nervously, wringing his hands.

"Here, Sirius, try to sit up again, I need to look at that cut." Lily helped Sirius slowly, who managed to sit up, his back slumped against the fireplace. "Remus, can you see if you can find any food in here?"

Remus nodded and tiptoed off into the kitchen.

Lily examined Sirius' cut, it was deep, and was starting to get infected. Sirius winced at her touch but smiled groggily at her. "Ah, Evans...I should get hurt more often."

"You better not, you git. I'm going to have to clean this before healing it up. I just hope you guys have some Healing Po..." She stopped as he gazed at her curiously. "What?"

Sirius nodded to James' sleeping form, which was now snoring loudly. He looked intently back at her, his grey eyes glinting. "Ever gonna give 'im a chance, Lily?"

Lily looked at her friend, baffled. "Sirius..." She started. What was she saying? True, she had noticed James' feelings towards her. He had been asking her out since their fourth year, and she had refused him again and again. But they were all friends now. She knew him better now. And at the same time, he had stopped asking.

"He's a twit, I know," sighed Sirius. "And he never quits talking about you. Bit annoying, really."

Lily laughed. "We're just...friends, Sirius."

"Really? Fancy going out with me, then?" He grinned.

Lily poked him in the ribs. "Want me to make that cut worse for you?"

"No, I'm dead serious."

"Me, too," she whispered.

"Who's dead?" James called from across the room, stretching his neck.

"Remus will be if Lily here can't fix us up," muttered Sirius, still looking at Lily.

"I'M SORRY!" Remus cried, stumbling into the room with several dusty bottles of butterbeer.

"Ah, refreshments!" James piped up, waving a sulky Remus over to the sofa.

By mid-afternoon, Lily had successfully patched up everyone and they decided to set out into Hogsmeade. The sun was shining happily down on the four exhausted friends as they trudged down the dirt path and into the village. Sirius and James seemed to forget all about their tiredness as soon as they saw Zonko's Jokeshop. Remus and Lily left them goggling at fake wands and set out to find some food, agreeing to meet them back at the Three Broomsticks. Walking down the sunlit street, it was hard not to feel suddenly revitalized.

Lily glanced over at her best friend walking silently beside her and wondered what he could be bothering him so much. As long as she'd known him, Remus had always been the levelheaded genius of the Marauders. Always quiet and shy, he usually chose to stand back and watch as his friends took part in some ridiculous scheme, but was always part of the planning. Now, his delicate face was furrowed into a frown that clashed severely with the lovely weather.

"You know, Remus, N.E.W.T.'s aren't really that important. I mean, sure our whole futures depend on them...and they're tough as hell...but I mean, they should be a breeze for you. You're extremely talented, and we've got all year to prepare–"

Lupin chuckled. "You don't believe half the things you just said, Lily."

She sighed. "Well, okay. But tell me, Moony, what's going on? I've seen you freak out about exams before, but let me tell you this one's a bit in advance."

"The truth?" Lupin stopped walking and looked up at the Shrieking Shack in the distance. "I'm just sick of it all. I don't want to hide. I don't want to be _this_. I don't want to be your friend one minute and a threat to you the next. Lily, I _attacked_ you last night. I can't even imagine–"

"Oh, Moony–"

"No, let me finish. I probably sound like a git right now, complaining. But I need to find a way to _have_ control."

Something dawned on Lily. "Is that what you've been trying to do? Find a _cure_?"

Lupin smiled sheepishly. "That was my initial goal. But someone's beaten me to the punch. There's a potion. Not very many people are able to brew it, it's extremely complex. But it can lessen the symptoms of my..."furry little problem" as James so kindly puts it."

"God, we thought you were mad or dying, or both," Lily laughed in relief.

"Well, I am a bit mad," Remus admitted. "And maybe this is asking too much, Lils. But you're the only one I know capable of brewing this; with your talent...you've been an unbelievable friend to us. You see beauty in people even when others don't."

Lily shook her head. "It's not hard, believe me. And of course I'll prepare this for you, I can't believe you didn't ask earlier."

"Well, I've been a bit busy trying not to eat my best mates..."

Later that day, Lily's mind was racing. They were all all right. Remus was fine. She was finally going to do something to help him. But still there was the whole issue of James. Sometimes, she really wished she could read minds. Or better, that he'd tell her exactly what he thought, what he wanted. In any case, she had more important things to think about. They were friends, and that's all that mattered for now. And what was up with Sirius, anyway? Couldn't he just mind his own business?

They were on their way back to the Shrieking Shack after dinner at the Three Broomsticks, when Sirius brought up the fact that his parents had essentially disowned him during their previous row. His three friends stopped dead in their tracks and stared at him blankly. Sirius turned to face them.

"What?"

"Sirius..." Remus started.

"Oh, don't give me that, Moony. I don't need your pity. I've been waiting for this for ages, haven't I?" he laughed bitterly.

There was a long pause. Finally, Lily spoke up.

"Well...what are you going to do? Where they serious?"

"Who gives a damn?" Sirius screamed out into the night. "They're a bunch of idiots, the whole lot of them. With their stupid "pure-blood" privileges and their stupid family tree and their stupid money! I don't need them. They have their perfect son already. And it's not me." His voice drifted off.

"You're staying with me, mate," James stated matter-of-factly. He slapped Sirius gently on the back and continued walking up the hill to the house, followed closely by Remus.

Sirius simply stood there, staring at the dirt path. Lily was about to say something, when he looked up at her, the glint of mischief back in his grey eyes. He jerked his head towards the house, and flashed his sideways grin.

"Great bloke, eh, Evans?"

Lily was about to answer with a snide remark, when a sudden bang interrupted her and a flash of light shot out from the house.

"PADFOOT!" They heard James yell, as more flashes of light issued from the no longer quiet house.


	4. Chapter 4: Wrath of the Phoenix

**A/N: I actually really liked this chapter, so I didn't change it, beyond again checking over mistakes and grammar. New readers will appreciate it, I'm sure. **

* * *

**Chapter 4**

The Wrath of the Phoenix

Sirius and Lily whipped out their wands and sprinted the rest of the way to the house. They could hear shouts from inside.

"JAMES?" Lily yelled out, praying for an answer.

"_Stupefy_!"

"_Protego_!" Lily cried out, tripping over the front doorstep in her attempt to get out of the way of the spell. "What the bloody hell is going on here?"

She got slowly to her feet, pinned to the inner wall of the parlor. James, Sirius and Lupin were all busy dodging hexes thrown at them by what Lily guessed were several very violent ghosts, as she could see no one else in the room.

"Wait a second . . . "

Then she heard it. "_Cruci_–"

"DUCK!" she screamed, blocking the curse. The three boys dropped to the floor as, with a second forceful wave of her wand, Lily released a blinding flash on red light.

"Boy . . . that was a spell if I ever saw . . . bloody hell!" Sirius gaped at the scene now facing them. Strewn around the living room were the stupefied bodies of several hooded people. James strode forward and removed the nearest black mask, revealing the face of none other than Lucius Malfoy. James leapt back and pointed his wand at him cautiously.

"What's going on?" questioned Remus as he walked through and removed mask after mask, and bound each person with his wand. "We walked in and they were all huddled here yelling back and forth at each other. Next second they all disappear." Lily recognized Bellatrix, the Lestranges, Crabbe, Goyle and several other Slytherins. She scanned the room quickly, however. She did not see one person there, someone who was bound to be there–

"Looking for me, Evans?"

All four whipped around to face the doorway leading into the kitchen. There, leaning lazily against the doorway his wand pointed at them, was Regulus Black. Sirius swore loudly.

"You do seem to be everywhere, don't you, Lily?" muttered Regulus, his eyes flashing in the dim light of the fireplace. "What are you doing here?"

"Why should we explain ourselves? You're the one breaking and entering," James pointed out coolly. "My father owns this property. I suggest you explain yourself before I make you." He moved in on Regulus. "Out with your little Death Eater friends, Black?"

Regulus instantly turned to his brother, glaring. "If you know what's good for you, you'll keep your mouth shut from now on."

"What Regulus? Am I not supposed to know what you're up to these days? Sirius didn't need to tell me though. Everyone knows what you lot have been up to."

"And just what is that, Potter?"

"Following around that bloke like some sort of pathetic house-elf. Idolizing him while he struts around asking everyone to call him 'Lord Voldemort,' recruiting people to his inner circle like he's some sort of god. What the hell are you doing Regulus? Our whole lives we've been hearing of all the terrible things they've been doing undercover, watched as the Ministry refuses to believe what's happening right under their bloody noses. What the hell are you _doing_?"

There was a loud silence.

Lily, like James, had noticed the sudden interest in the Dark Arts over her stay at Hogwarts. Professor Dumbledore kept them informed on the on-goings of one Tom Riddle, a graduate of Slytherin house himself who had delved too deeply into the Dark Arts. Over the years, Voldemort gained more and more power, making alliances with magical creatures and blackmailing prominent wizards into subversion. Terror was quickly spreading throughout the wizarding community, and the Ministry seemed to have lost control.

Dumbledore told the Marauders and Lily about the Order of the Phoenix during their 6th year, a secret association instituted for the sole purpose of intercepting Voldemort's rise to power. Currently, they were too young to join the Order, but their graduation from Hogwarts would also be their induction.

Regulus had exceeded his parents' expectations and risen high within the Death Eater circle, also heading what seemed like the next generation of Death Eaters at Hogwarts. Their hatred for Muggleborns seemed to elevate with every passing year. Soon, Lily realized, there would be no limitations as to what they were capable of doing, and who they were capable of hurting. Regulus, however, always seemed to hold back. She had never seen him actually attack someone. And here he was even, perfectly capable of jinxing them all, but choosing not to.

She heard rustling behind them. Lily whipped around, her wand out, as Malfoy and Bellatrix rose slowly to their feet. They had managed to release themselves somehow.

"James," she whispered. He too turned, his face suddenly darkened by worry, which quickly switched to confident arrogance.

"Lucius!" Regulus barked. Just as suddenly, Lily felt the tip of a wand at her back, and Lucius' arm encircled her neck roughly.

"That's it then," Malfoy muttered slowly. "Release them, if you will."

Remus waved his wand and the ropes binding the rest of the Death Eaters fell loose onto the floorboards. Sirius, who had been quietly glaring at his brother, marched right up to him and grabbed a fistful of his robes.

"Let. Her. Go." He hissed menacingly. Regulus remained silent, studying his brother. Then just as unexpectedly, he smiled.

"I didn't know you could love, Sirius."

Bellatrix screeched happily. "Oh that's just too rich! Sirius Black loves the Mudblood!"

Sirius kept looking at his brother. "Love is something you'll never understand, _brother_," he muttered quietly.

James looked over at Sirius, dropping his wand arm. The arrogance in his eyes was replaced by a look of betrayal for the split second before he looked away.

Lily took this as her chance. There was a flurry of dust that enveloped both her and Lucius.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

The dust cleared away as the phoenix beat her wings furiously, trying to shake off the blond young man hanging on to her tail. She rose higher and higher, thankful for the tall cathedral ceilings of the old house. Twenty feet in the air, she scratched Malfoy with her sharp talons, causing him, in a moment of surprise, to loosen his hold on her feathers.

"BLOODY BIRD!"

The next moment, Malfoy was falling through the air, flapping his arms wildly, and yelling at the top of his lungs. She swooped down and caught him by the robes and hung him, still shrieking, from the chandelier. Landing softly next to a flabbergasted Bellatrix, Lily changed back to her human form, quickly pointing her wand at the young woman. Remus had managed to bind all the Slytherins with ropes from his wand once again, even though they were all still out cold.

"Anything else, Regulus?" She asked quietly, glancing into his cold eyes.

That night, Sirius and James were not talking to anyone. Each had wandered off into his own haven inside one of the many rooms the Shrieking Shack provided. Lily and Remus were left to themselves in the living to relive the events of that afternoon in front of the hearty fire.

After he had revived the rest of the Death Eaters and levitated Malfoy off the chandelier, Regulus had forced everyone to Disapperate at once. James wrote to his father immediately after, asking him to place an Apparating Block on the property. Only one of the Marauders (including Lily) would be able to Apparate within the house. After the letter was sent, James had stalked out of the room, refusing to look anyone in the eye, especially Sirius.

"What was that all about?" She asked Remus quietly.

Lupin looked at her with sad eyes, and smiled at her softly. "The whole Death Eater part? Or..."

"Both I suppose," Lily sighed.

"They were yelling about plans not going well. The Death Eaters I mean. The Order was mentioned; something about Regulus not doing what he was supposed to be doing..." He paused. "As for those two? Well..."

"Remus?"

"Well...seems like they haven't been telling each other everything, doesn't it? I mean we're all friends here, Lily, but James and Sirius...they're like brothers. And the thing is, they could have very easily been enemies. There's an inexplicable bond there, one even I can't understand..."

"So what Regulus said— about Sirius not being able to—about him finally loving some—I mean...is that why James is acting this way? "

"I don't know. But they're being really stupid right now. I should go see if I can talk to one of them..." He got up slowly from the sofa. "Don't worry, Lily." He walked out of the room.

Lily listened as he made his way up the creaking steps. Suddenly, the house felt very empty. She tried to make sense of it all as she stared into the fire, searching in the embers for a straight answer for once. She heard a floorboard creak behind her and out of reflex leapt off the chair, facing the doorway, her wand ready.

Sirius stood there, three feet away from her. If he felt threatened by her wand he gave no hint of surprise. She slowly lowered her wand. He stepped forward, and suddenly the three feet between them were gone.


	5. Chapter 5: Boys and Sunsets

**A/N: Some major changes here regarding Sirius and Lily. Again, it won't change your understanding later too much, but it might help understand them a little more. Let me know if it was a good change...**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

Boys and Sunsets

Lily refused to look up into his grey eyes, and transfixed her own on his black jumper. Then she heard Sirius let out a ringing laugh as he enveloped her in a close hug.

"Relax, Evans," he said, stepping back. "You just looked like you needed a hug, that's all."

Lily stared at him, blankly. He winked.

"What is _wrong_ with you?" She whispered, throwing down her wand, and storming out of the room.

"What–wait, Lily!" Sirius followed her into the kitchen.

This wasn't what it had been like last year. She was so sick of not knowing, of the fighting, of the fact that everything seemed to revolve around her all of the sudden.

"No, I don't care! Potter can just – and YOU! YOU! What are you doing? Moving in for the kill while your best mate is off skulking?"

Sirius was quietly staring at the dirty linoleum tile of the kitchen floor. "You've completely missed... the point."

"I'm not a _prize_, Black. I thought you understood that. I'm not some trophy you and Potter can fight over like petty children!"

Sirius turned a dark shade of scarlet. "You have no idea what you're talking about, Lily! You think you're so much better than us, always yelling at us for being pompous. Just where do you get off telling us what we can and can't do? Who's the hypocrite here? At least we know what _we _want!"

Lily gaped at Sirius, fighting the tears that his stinging words had incited. He moved slowly closer, cupping her face with his hands. She didn't back away.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. His handsome face was earnest, but sincere. "Lily…it's not easy knowing you belong with him. I can't come between. But know that I will always be your friend. And his. Till the very end." He kissed her lips gently, but it wasn't a passionate, romantic gesture. It was one of pure love and promise, of friendship.

"Hey! Lily I thought I heard you're dulcet tones. It's supposed to be us yelling, you know," James pointed out as he appeared at the doorway. Sirius quickly turned to grin at him, and after a quick handshake they were off talking about Quidditch and Regulus.

* * *

Lily was resolute on having a perfectly normal rest of holiday.

They spent the rest of the week wandering Hogsmeade and playing Quidditch in the backyard. James and Sirius were back to their normal, irritating selves and Lily was more annoyed than ever. But the great weather soon made her forget all that, and she couldn't help but look forward to the upcoming Hogwarts' start-of-term.

Lily had written to her frantic parents a few days ago to let them know what had been going on. She had known they would have objected to her gallivanting across London with a werewolf, and thus had not given them a chance to protest. Although they had been worried at her disappearance, Petunia (who took it upon herself to spy on Lily whenever possible) had shown them the many letters from James explaining their "mission." Lily had promised them she would return before the start of term, unharmed, which she was sure would irritate her sister beyond belief.

Lily still couldn't quite get over all the things that had happened in just their first few days in Hogsmeade. What had Regulus been doing at the Shrieking Shack? What duties was he not carrying out? Something told her Voldemort's journey to total power was not so far from being over.

At the end of the week, Remus seemed a lot more relaxed, and even Lily had let her mind wander away from Regulus and the Death Eaters. They were all sorry when the time came to return home before September 1st, and their return to Hogwarts. Sirius agreed to make sure Remus made it home all right, and then meet James back at his house.

"Alright, Lily, let's go," said James, hurrying outside and mounting his Nimbus once more. Lily followed, but not before looking back at Sirius who was standing by the staircase, waiting for Remus. He wasn't smirking, or laughing. He looked distant and as always Lily couldn't tell what he was thinking. She smiled and waved. As he casually waved back, Lily's stomach seemed to flip flop. Aware of how awkward she suddenly felt, Lily turned towards the door and tripped on her way out, stumbling into James and knocking him off his broom.

Lily could hear Sirius howling with laughter inside the Shack. She smiled, but as she helped James back to his feet, her stomach was in knots.

* * *

James and Lily stood at the end of Crescent Drive, the sun slowly setting behind them. The flight home had been somewhat more bearable, as it had been during the day, but the long flight had given Lily too much time to think. She was currently thinking, somewhat irritably, that she'd very much like to turn her brain off for a bit.

James was looking down at the gravel road, shuffling his feet, nervously, one hand holding his Nimbus and the other ruffling his hair periodically. Lily couldn't help but laugh. James looked up, grinning as his face turned bright red. "What?"

Lily shook her head. "Thanks for the ride, Potter."

"Anytime." There was a long pause. His face was thoughtful as he faced the sunset. "I know it's corny," he started, laughing at himself. "But, I love this time of day. It just kind of...makes you forget yourself, doesn't it?" He looked to Lily eagerly.

"Yes...it does." Lily smiled. It was times like these that made her glad she was friends with James. Never in a million years would he have said something like that in front of Sirius or Remus or Peter. And yet, here he was, hazel eyes twinkling at her, talking about sunsets. He was like a little kid you wanted to scoop up and hug close.

Lily snapped out of it. The sun was just about hidden below the horizon. James too, seemed to come back to earth, his face darkened once more. "Listen, all that stuff this week... we were just— well, he was— no, both of us — stupid, it was stupid—"

"I know," she whispered.

"But, I mean, if you like him, it's okay, you know? You wouldn't be the first. Or the only one." James laughed, trying to conceal a slight touch of bitterness. He stopped suddenly, as Lily enveloped him in a hug, and then just as quickly stepped back and punched him in the arm.

"OW!" James looked at her inquiringly, massaging his arm furiously.

"You're a selfish prat, Potter. You never change, do you?"

"What'd I do?" James whined.

"What makes you think I need your approval to like Sirius? Or anyone for that matter?"

"That's not what I meant—"

"Sirius is just my friend." She said slowly, making sure each word sunk it.

"Excellent." James grinned.

"And same goes for you," she added.

"I hope so..."

"James..."

"Lily!" James shook her gently. "I know! I believe you. Just lighten up a bit, will you?"

Lily was surprised. She had expected more sulking, more questions, maybe some arrogant remarks characteristic of James Potter. And as she thought more about how much he had changed, she couldn't help but remember what Sirius had said.

James climbed back onto his Nimbus, his hair tousled by the warm night's breeze. "See you on the Express, Lily." He kicked off, yelling back as he rose higher into the air. "I'll owl you!" Lily watched after him, wishing she had said something.

* * *

Lily pushed her heavily laden trolley up to the barrier of Platform 9 3/4, her owl screeching loudly and drawing as much attention as possible. Her parents followed, enthusiastically chatting as Lily's sister, Petunia, sighed, exasperated next to them. Petunia was in a particularly crabby mood because Lily had just explained to their parents that morning that once she turned seventeen that December, Lily would legally be an adult in the wizarding world. Her parents had understood fully when she told them she would be joining the Order at the end of the school year and would most likely be on her own from then on. Though they were saddened to lose their daughter so early, they respected her wishes to follow the wizard's way of life; she would be making a living on her own, maybe having a family, and they were proud of her independence and strength. They were also quite aware of who Voldemort was, and accepted their daughter's wishes to fight the dark side.

Petunia, however, was not as thrilled. She had never approved of having a witch in the family, and had always been just a little bit jealous. Now, she found it unfair that Lily would be an adult before her, that she'd get to leave their house and have her own life with her "freaky friends." On the other hand, she would never again have to put up with all the "magic" nonsense or her "perfect" sister.

Lily smiled at her parents and kissed them both goodbye before leaving. She promised to visit and write often. Petunia refused to even so much as look at her sister. Lily resorted to a forced and particularly awkward hug before stepping through the barrier and onto the platform. The scarlet Hogwarts Express gave two whistles as a five-minute warning, and Lily hurried to get her trunk onto the train.

Once a boy from Ravenclaw helped her lift her heavy trunk, she headed straight to the prefects' compartment; she had been made Head Girl this year. As the train sped out of the station, Lily introduced the new prefects, explaining their duties during their year at Hogwarts, and relegated shifts for the train ride to school.

One of the prefects raised his hand, and Lily nodded in acknowledgement.

"Lily, who's Head Boy?"

Lily looked around the compartment for an answer, until her eyes rested on Remus. He was smiling, slowly shaking his head.

"Uh, I'm not sure…" Lily coughed. "I'm sure he's off helping some first years. No worries, I will let you know once we get to school." And with that she dismissed them, leaving the compartment with a bemused Remus.

As she neared the open compartment doors Lily grew more and more uneasy, falling behind Remus. Sure, she had received letters from them all since their visit to Hogsmeade (even some from Peter, who deeply regretted not being able to go with them over the summer), but officially this was the first time she'd see James and Sirius since the Shrieking Shack. They wouldn't be able to avoid each other and she seriously hoped nothing had changed.

She rounded the corner and peered into the noisy compartment, instantly met by a loud cry of, "LIKLYKINS!" Lily smiled, stepping into the compartment, but froze as her eyes fell on James. Seriously hoping her jaw hadn't dropped to the floor, she took the seat next to Sirius by the window, staring at the seat in front of her. Lupin seemed to have the same surprised reaction, but instead sat on the floor with a frustrated Peter, who was trying to revive his very dead-looking toad. There was James Potter, laughing, with his arm casually draped over the shoulders of a pretty girl with long, curly black hair and twinkling dark eyes. Worse, a Head Boy badge was neatly pinned to the front of his robes.

It took a painful jab in the ribs from Sirius before she realized the girl had said something to her.

"Hi, I don't think we've met before? My name's Madison. Madison Howell. I'm a six year in Gryffindor." Madison smiled and extended her hand. Lily was dumbstruck. She looked from the girl's hand to her smiling face and then at James, who was looking at her somewhat nervously. Sirius cleared his throat loudly and Lily instantly forced her face into a similar smile, shaking the girl's hand.

"Lily," she said, a little too brightly. "Lily Evans."


	6. Chapter 6: Dumbledore's Warning

**A/N: Obviously I changed a few things here, what with James being Head Boy. But that's about it. Enjoy and keep reviewing! Please?**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

Dumbledore's Warning

Lily's forehead bumped against the window glass she was leaning on as the train chugged across the countryside. Her breath fogged up the glass while she stared absentmindedly at the trees and hills zooming by. The gray and ominous sky seemed to reflect her mood perfectly at that particular moment. The train, in contrast, was warmly lit by lanterns, and one of the plush red velvet seats was now piled with an assortment of sweets from the trolley. They were still quite a few hours from school and it would have been an enjoyable ride to Hogwarts, were it not for one particular —

"Jaaaaaaaaaaames!" Madison shrieked, giggling as James threw a cauldron cake at her. Sirius snorted and spit out most of his licorice wand in an attempt to keep from laughing. Remus was now in one of the other seats, one hand massaging his aching head and the other stuffing a chocolate frog in his mouth. Peter Pettigrew was simply ogling Madison

This was ridiculous. Lily couldn't help but throw a dirty look at James, who simply smiled. Madison had been giggling nonstop at everything James did since Lily had entered the compartment. However, she also noticed that Madison kept eyeing Sirius, flipping her long hair back from time to time and checking to see if he was looking. Sirius as usual was quite amused by this, and made it a point not to pay any attention to her whatsoever.

Finally, it seemed Madison grew tired of making such an effort and left to join her sixth year friends, but not before pecking James on the cheek and wiggling her fingers at everyone else. There was absolute silence in the compartment.

"Who the_ bloody _hell was that?" Remus finally blurted out, staring incredulously at James.

"Well...she's just a friend of the family. We got to, er, know each other this summer. She's really quite–erm, quite...interesting, once you get to know her." James added hopefully.

Sirius was silently looking at the spot where Madison had previously been sitting. Lily couldn't tear her eyes from the window. The window was safe. The window wouldn't lie to her, or make her want to scream. She would stick with the window. Sirius cocked an eyebrow at James through his curtain of hair.

"Okay, fine! She won't bloody leave me alone, okay? She thinks we're together or something," James protested.

"Well, you're not exactly pushing her away, are you, mate?" Sirius inquired, smiling.

James muttered something about not wanting to be mean, which only made Sirius snort harder. Remus looked a bit cross but said nothing.

"You do seem perfect for each other," Lily said quietly. Sirius looked at her as if she had just said she wanted a dragon for a pet.

"Are you mad?"

"Yeah, well there's a debate going on about that," Lily sighed. She eyed James' badge furiously. "And I see you're shirking your duties already, Potter."

James followed her gaze, looking at his badge proudly. "Surprised, Evans? Looks like we'll be spending a lot of time together this year." He waggled his eyebrows.

"You're despicable! Shacking up in here with that twit, while I do all the work? Is that what this entire year will be like? You were supposed to come to the prefect's compartment, did you even bother to ask someone?" Lily waited for a response she knew wouldn't come, as James opened and closed his mouth like a goldfish.

"Look, can we just talk about something else? I'm sure James is perfectly capable of figuring this whole thing out," Sirius interjected.

"And if he doesn't, he'll be spending more time locked up in the Shrieking Shack than Moony, here," Lily warned, patting Remus on the back. James looked perfectly miserable.

Peter brought up the subject of the Shrieking Shack and Regulus Black. Dumbledore had apparently made no effort to answer their billions of questions they owled him over the summer. All four witnesses had received the same vague letters, thanking them for the information and telling them about a joke he had heard about a banshee that he found particularly clever.

"They're not _actually_ Death Eaters, are they? I mean I thought Voldemort's inner circle were all grown-ups," James muttered. Peter whimpered at the name. "Oh, stuff it, Wormtail."

"No, it seems like they've been recruited just for a special mission," Lily clarified. "It seems odd that they're all Hogwarts students. What could they want at Hogwarts? They couldn't very well rebel against Dumbledore, he could wipe them out in a second."

"Maybe they're spying on the Order!" piped up Peter.

"They could be," Sirius mused. "But the only actual members are teachers, and they're not likely to go babbling about secret plans to any student, are they?"

"And why _Regulus_? I mean he does hang around with all the soon-to-be Death Eaters, but I wasn't aware that he was particularly powerful. Why would Voldemort put him in charge?" Lily looked to Sirius, whose face darkened in thought.

"Regulus may be a git, but he's not stupid," Sirius sighed. "He's incredibly smart and magically talented, even I can't deny that. He can think for himself, but he's not power hungry. Never really wanted the glory my father always yearned for. He'd be useful to Voldemort, I guess: able to carry out orders efficiently, but not likely to sabotage for his own well-being like, say, Malfoy might."

"Shoulda jinxed him when we had the chance," James mumbled.

They spent the rest of the train ride discussing possible hexes they could have used on Regulus, and playing wizard's chess and exploding snap. By the time the Express reached Hogwarts, James' robes were badly singed and Sirius was still bitter about losing to Lily in a particularly violent round of chess.

* * *

They made their way slowly out of the crowded train and to the horseless carriages that took them up to the castle, trudging along the dirt path. Hogwarts stood looming over the station, glowing against the dim countryside. Magic seemed to emanate from the place even on a dark and dank night. Lily couldn't help but feel like she had finally come home.

Once inside the castle, Lily and the others forgot all about the train ride, and concentrated on the feast that was to follow the sorting. The enchanted ceiling was thundering and lightening over the four house tables. Lily watched as Dumbledore, who had been humbly watching the ceiling over his half-moon spectacles, glanced around and waved his hand casually. Instantly the ceiling swirled into a crystal clear night, sprinkled with thousands of twinkling stars. Dumbledore smiled, and, sighing, sunk back into his great golden chair. Lily couldn't help but smile at the Headmasters easy demeanor and kindheartedness; he made Hogwarts safe, and for that Lily admired him beyond anyone else.

The sorting seemed to go by fairly quickly, though Lily had been highly distracted by Sirius' incessant complaints of hunger. Dumbledore stood at the front of the Great Hall, dressed majestically in vibrant blue robes and hat. He raised his arms in welcome, and bellowed to the mass of hungry students: "Tuck in!"

Almost instantly the tables filled with mountains of food, at the sight of which Sirius and James let out hearty sighs of contentment and reached for chicken legs. Halfway through dessert, Dumbledore stood up once more and cleared his throat, waiting patiently for James and Sirius to stop fighting over the last bowl of treacle tart.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I can safely speak for all professors sitting impatiently behind me that we are glad to have you back safely. I would like to remind and inform you that the Forbidden Forest holds to its name, and is, in fact, forbidden to all students, unless, you are instructed by a professor to inquire as to the meaning of life from one of our resident centaurs. Which is of course, extremely silly, as they will never tell you," Dumbledore chuckled to himself. "Mr. Pringle, our caretaker, would like me to remind you of the long list of prohibited objects that is posted on his office door, I believe, next to the shackles he has so kindly also put on display.

"I know you are all thinking of the warm beds awaiting you, but I feel that I must offer some advice. This year at Hogwarts is an important one. Lord Voldemort is recruiting all means to reach his desired ultimate power." He paused for a few seconds so as to allow the people who had gasped audibly and spilled drinks down the front of their robes upon hearing You-Know-Who's name to recollect themselves. "I ask all of you to be extremely cautious. Keep your friends close, and do not underestimate the danger of enemies. This is a time when all should be reinstating friendships, retying ties, determining what is truly of value to you. Standing as one is essential during these times, for apart we will surely perish. I wish you all a goodnight." And with that Dumbledore disappeared with a flourish of his robes.

The Great Hall was completely quiet.

"Straight to the point, isn't he?" Sirius mused rather loudly, breaking the silence.

Lily stood up immediately, pointing her wand at her throat and muttering, "_Sonorus_." Her voice echoed over the excited roar of the Great Hall: "Everyone to their dormitories, please! Prefects! Lead your first years! First year Gryffindors, follow me! _Quietus._" Lily's voice now back to its normal volume, she turned to see James, a batch of particularly small students cowering behind him. "I think you scared them," he observed, grinning.

* * *

Back at the common room, Lily sat in front of the fire in one of the large comfortable chairs, reading the _Standard Book of Spells, Level 7_. The Gryffindor start-of-tem celebration was pretty much over. Currently only Lily, Sirius, Remus, James, and Madison were left in the cozy common room, sipping mugs of butterbeer.

"We need to get going on a prank, gentlemen," Sirius announced, lying on the carpet by the hearty fire, his arms crossed behind his head.

Remus groaned. "Sirius, come on! We're graduating this year, aren't we a bit old?"

"Never!" James and Sirius cried in unison.

"You're Head Boy. As often as you choose to ignore that small fact, you can't just stand by and watch us anymore," Remus explained to James.

Lily nodded. "It's really quite immature...and stupid...and callow...and–"

"And you're repetitive," James retorted.

"And redundant," Sirius piped up, grinning.

"And repetitive."

"And redundant."

"We certainly are entertaining, Black."

"Indubitably, Potter."

Madison was gasping for air in hysterical laughter. Lily smiled slightly, turning back to her book, as Remus merely looked worn and sunk, chuckling slightly, into a chair opposite her. Sirius and James grinned, and instantly put their heads together, whispering excitedly. Lily was mildly aware that Madison was now looking at her intently. She glanced up, raising an eyebrow inquiringly.

"Oh, sorry," Madison giggled. "I was just wondering, I mean, I heard that James liked you quite a bit a while ago. What's the deal now?"

Lily could not believe this girl. She glanced over at James, who was still talking to Sirius, rumpling his hair unconsciously. Suddenly, he made eye contact with her, hazel eyes glowing in the firelight, and she blushed, hurriedly looking back down at her book. "I don't know," she mumbled. "Clearly, he doesn't really feel the same anymore, does he? If he's with you. We're just friends."

A knowing look spread across Madison's face, and she smiled. "Oh. Oh Lily, we're not together. He just doesn't see me that way, as much as I want him to. But, uh, don't wait too long, okay?"

"Wait too long for what?" Lily looked at her quizzically.

"Goodnight," Madison whispered, and slowly got up, waving at Sirius, James and Remus.

"Wait, for what?" Lily yelled out, as Madison made her up the stairs to the girl's dormitory. The three boys turned to look at her, alarmed. Lily laughed nervously, excusing herself and sprinted to the staircase also; collapsing onto her bed once she reached her dorm. She stared at the scarlet velvet ceiling of her four-poster bed, her mind reeling. What was she playing at? Who did Madison think she was, pretending to _know_?

Lily closed her eyes, searching for some sort of answer in the darkness. She slowly drifted off to sleep, as a pair of hazel eyes stared back at her.

* * *

James watched curiously as Lily took the stairs to the dormitory two at a time, her auburn hair flying out behind her. He chuckled, looking back at Sirius, who shook his head.

"Mental, that one," he sighed, brushing his hair out of his eyes. "Great looking, though, eh?"

James punched him in the arm. "You can't say things like that anymore, Padfoot, she's our friend."

"Ah, yes, but that's not what you want, is it?" Sirius prodded.

"What's it to you? I've tried haven't I? Maybe it's just better this way."

"For god's sake, James, just open your eyes for once. You've spent three years trying to get her to go out with you, and now that she's finally come around to having feelings for you, you're fooling around with some other girl," Remus pointed out, calmly.

James turned to look at him, surprised and hurt. "What about Sirius, huh? Why aren't you on his case about her? It's obvious I wasn't the only one pining!"

They all went quiet. Sirius looked like he was silently fuming. He turned to look at James with cold grey eyes that resembled his brother's.

"She knows, James," he whispered. "She knows. I didn't stand around waiting for something to happen. And she made it clear what I was to her. She hasn't gone back on that. But what she said about you? That was all bull, Prongs, and you know it. How she looks at you? How she acted the whole time on the train while you were sitting there flirting with that idiot? How thick can you get, Potter? Be there. Be there and stop acting like a git." Sirius slumped into the sofa, exhausted. "Damn it, girls are difficult," he muttered.

James stared at the rug, rumpling his hair again. Then he looked up, grinning. "So...Evans likes me, huh?"


	7. Chapter 7: Sluggish Advice

**A/N: Few changes here and there, mainly for my amusement. Nothing too important. Good stuff though. I hope. :)**

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

Sluggish Advice

"NO!" Lily cried.

The mass of Death Eaters grew closer and closer, and she could make out Regulus' dark blue eyes in the midst of masked faces. She had to do something. Sirius was magically bound and had disappeared behind the wall of Death Eaters. The full moon was shining through the window, and a wolf's howl could be heard in the distance; Remus had forgotten to take his potion. James stood at her side, stonily watching the mass of black draw nearer.

Suddenly they stopped mid-stride. Regulus was pushed forward by an unknown force, his face paler, his eyes unusually worried. He looked at Lily and snapped his wand in two. The sharp sound of wood splintering echoed strangely as Regulus, too, disappeared. Instantly, the mass of Death Eaters fused into one being: Voldemort.

His red eyes flashed as he slowly took out his wand, pointing it menacingly at James, a calm sneer played on his sharp features. Lily couldn't breathe. She couldn't find her wand. She couldn't think. All she could do was step sideways, blocking James' body with her own.

Voldemort's unusual eyes were squinted at her, his expressions almost amused. Then he laughed, a cruel, shrill laugh that seemed to freeze the blood in her veins and stop her breath in her lungs. She was surprised she was still alive.

"The brave are always fools," he hissed. He jerked his wand, and a blinding flash of green light enveloped her. She heard James calling her name, softly, in the distance...

* * *

Lily woke with a start. Her friend, Laurel Mitchell, shook her roughly again. "Lily! Wake up! Breakfast started ten minutes ago!"

She leapt out of bed so quickly the dormitory started spinning. Groaning, Lily fell back onto her four-poster bed. _I'm going insane_, she thought to herself, still shaken by the odd (and certainly terrifying) nightmare.

"LILY!" Her friend cried warningly.

"OKAY! Okay!" Lily sat up slowly this time, and after making sure she could see clearly, hurried into the bathroom.

Fifteen minutes later, Lily was sprinting down the marble staircase to the Great Hall, which was already swarming with hungry students. She slumped down at the Gryffindor table, startling James as her bag knocked over his pumpkin juice.

"Sorry," she muttered, searching in her bag to make sure she had everything. She glanced up at the four Marauders gaping at her.

"Right little ray of sunshine, aren't you?" James teased. Lily froze as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Relax a bit, Evans. You're not that late. Haven't even gotten our schedules yet."

This would have calmed Lily's nerves a bit, were it not for the fact that her arms burned where James had touched her. That night's nightmare came flooding back. She looked at James as he shoveled bacon and eggs into his mouth, his black hair glinting in the morning sun streaming through the tall windows of the Great Hall. _Why hadn't he done something? He could have fought back, he could have run. _ What was she doing? It was just some stupid dream. Still, she felt uneasy at the fact that it had felt so real.

Her thoughts were interrupted as Professor McGonagall approached, handing out schedules. Lily scanned it quickly, checking all the N.E.W.T.'s she had chosen were there, and began rummaging in her bag for her Potions book. Remus got up from the table and made his way through the crowded Hall to the dungeons. Lily turned to James.

"We have to meet tonight to plan shifts and passwords," she informed him. James winked and stuffed a muffin in his mouth.

"Okay, _now_, you're late," Sirius pointed out, buttering more toast. "Don't wanna keep your Slug Club waiting."

Lily gave him a sarcastic smile, gulped down some pumpkin juice and jumped up from the table, swinging her canvas bag onto her shoulder.

"Lily!" James whined, massaging the side of his head and mopping up his pumpkin juice-soaked robes.

"Ah, sorry James!" Lily cried too sweetly. She hurried out of the Great Hall and sprinted down to the dungeons. She reached Professor Slughorn's room just before he closed the door.

"Ah, Ms. Evans, not a minute too soon. Please, if you'd care to join us..." He motioned to an empty seat and Lily rushed into it, her face flushed. She glanced around the room and wrinkled her nose as she noticed the front half of the room was comprised of Slytherins. As she scanned the Gryffindor section of the room, she was not surprised at which students had made Professor Slughorn's N.E.W.T. Potions. Her good friend Frank Longbottom was there, as well as Remus, Laurel and–

Yes, they had done it again. Sirius and James sat grinning at her from across the room. She was not surprised that they had made N.E.W.T. level Potions, but rather that they had beaten her to the dungeons even thought they had left the Great Hall five minutes later. Lily threw her bag down besides her cauldron and let out an exasperated sigh. How did they _always_ do that?

Professor Slughorn was excitedly discussing the potions they would be learning to brew that year, including the Draught of Living Death, Felix Felicis, and Amortentia. He went on to ask his students to brew a quick antidote for him just to measure their "worth."

Lily distractedly chopped, sliced, crushed, juiced and stirred her ingredients. She was on automatic, as she had been brewing antidotes since she first became interested in potions. She had always strived to excel at something worthwhile. She had not really enjoyed Quidditch until she joined the team in her 6th year, but even now it was not the passion to her that it was to James. Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration were interesting, but she loved the complexity of Potions. It was an art to be able to mix seemingly simple ingredients in such a way that they made virtually anything possible. Displace one ingredient, fail to follow a single step and the structure of the potion was pointless, potentially lethal.

Her potions master had noticed her unnatural talent for brewing and encouraged her love of potions by providing Lily with books and extra lessons. Now, though slightly pretentious at times, she was rather fond of the old professor, and found that he was always willing to lend an ear.

Before she knew it, the two-hour Potions period was over, and a rush of Gryffindors and Slytherins made their way hastily towards the door, perhaps to escape the odious fumes escaping from Sirius' cauldron. She began to clear away her own ingredients and waved at Sirius and James to go on without her, when she heard the professor clear this throat casually.

"Something on your mind, Ms. Evans?" He shuffled some papers on his desk, looking up expectantly at Lily.

"Oh, uh, no. Why do you ask, Professor?"

"Well, I could be wrong, I am pretty old, contrary to belief. But last time I checked a simple antidote has never smelled so sweetly."

Lily looked down at her open textbook and found she had in fact been following the instructions for a mild love potion. She looked at the flask on Slughorn's desk and saw the liquid inside was pale lavender. _Guess that could have been a give-away_, she thought.

"I'm sorry, Professor," she sighed. "I just wasn't thinking."

"Or, perhaps, thinking about something else?" He asked meekly, his eyes twinkling.

Lily paused. That could not have been truer. It was her first day back at Hogwarts and she felt thoroughly stressed. Her mind kept coming back to James, to her nightmare, to what Madison had said, to that night he met her at Privet Drive. How simple everything had been. Even before last year, when she hated him with all her being. It was easy for her to deal with hatred.

"I just...had a nightmare last night. It shook me up a bit and I guess I'm already feeling the pressure of a N.E.W.T. year," she explained lamely.

"Ah! Dreams can represent the fears we refuse to face, at times. During dark times like these, one can only imagine what kinds of things we fear might come across. Of course, I know everyone at the Ministry is working for our safety, they've assured me personally. Still, one worries..." Lily simply nodded.

"Well, Ms. Evans, I don't want to keep you from your free period. Know I am always available if you are in need of advice or just a friendly ear. Please do not keep things all to yourself, I will end up with a cauldron full of love potion. In my earlier years this would have come in handy, but I find myself at a lack of opportunities in which to use it," he stated, with a chuckle. "Good afternoon, Lily."

"Good afternoon, Profe–" A loud crash interrupted her. Lily turned to find Regulus Black ducked beneath his cauldron, cleaning the spilled armadillo bile.

"Mr. Black!" barked Professor Slughorn. "Please be more careful with my ingredients, especially when you are not supposed to be here! Spill yours if you must!" He waved his wand, vanishing the bile as he stepped into his office. Lily still startled, quickly gathered her things. She reached the doorway at the same time Regulus did, his dark blue eyes looking at her curiously.

"Black," Lily acknowledged him with a nod. He kept simply looking at her. She took this as the usual Slytherin attitude and made to leave, but he reached out to stop her. Lily whipped around and drew her wand. "I'll hex to kingdom come, Regulus, I swear I will. I'm not putting up with your stupid Death Eater drama today."

"Lily–" She froze as he said her name. No "Evans"? No "Mudblood"? His eyes suddenly had the same look they had in her nightmare, the same unusual worry. "You–you know Dumbledore well, don't you?"

"Erm, yes, I suppose."

"He–he trusts you?"

"Where are you going with this? What are you doing here?" She hissed impatiently.

"I just...I need to talk to you. My brother doesn't believe me. Potter's not exactly any better. But you, you can convince them. You'd know I'm not lying."

"Would I?" Lily glared at him. "After everything that happened this summer, the last couple of years? Regulus, we're not exactly bosom friends. What makes you think I'd believe anything you say?" She turned and started to walk away.

"Does it look like I'm lying, Lily?" His face was unreadable, but his eyes were desperate. He was paler than usual, and Lily noticed just how thin he was growing. His cheekbones protruded sharply on his handsome face, and his robes hung limply on his lean frame. For a second, Lily considered he was being sincere, but the next second a group of particularly hostile-looking Slytherins walked by, looking at Lily as if she were a Bubotuber worm on the floor of the corridor. She looked defiantly back at them as they strolled by. When she looked back, Regulus was gone.

* * *

After her free period in the library, Lily had Defense Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration, before heading to an early dinner. She had a quick meeting with Professor McGonagall to discuss her Head Girl duties for that year, and then trudged back up to the Gryffindor Common room, finally collapsing onto a chair.

"Tough day, huh?"

Lily yelped at the sound of James' voice. He was sitting quietly at a table across the room, buried amongst piles of parchment and books.

"Yes," she sighed, walking over to join him. "Looks like you got just as much work as I did," she pointed out, as her eyes scanned the table.

"Yeah, McGonagall never passes up a chance to assign extra work," he muttered wearily. "Did she meet with you too about Head stuff? Blimey."

Lily nodded and couldn't help but smile as he rumpled his hair absentmindedly. "Where's everyone else?"

"Remus has an extra lesson for Ancient Runes, Sirius has detention from Slughorn and Peter...just probably got lost somewhere," he laughed. "So it's just you and me, Evans."

"Guess so," she grinned. His eyes twinkled in the firelight as yet another sunset shone in through the window. Lily quickly recollected herself. "Listen, I need to tell you something."

"Does it involve you declaring your undying love for me?" James asked teasingly.

Lily flinched inwardly, and smiled a nervous smile. "No," she said slowly, mulling over the idea. Wouldn't it just be perfect to just blurt out everything right now? Again Lily forced herself to snap out of it. "...But it does have to do with Regulus," she continued.

"You're in love with _Regulus_?!" James cried out in fake bafflement.

Lily threw a book at him.


	8. Chapter 8: Hogwarts Magic

**A/N: I added a nice scene near the end with Lily and Sirius. I also changed the exchange between James and Lily. It's better now I think. Hope you like!**

* * *

**Chapter 8**

Hogwarts Magic

"So...he just ran off? What a git," Sirius muttered.

"Sirius, that's not the point. The point's that Regulus isn't as clever as we thought, is he? I think he's in trouble. He looked pretty scared," Lily pointed out.

"Probably just realized who he's working for," James scoffed. Yesterday night, Lily had explained everything to James, and they had talked well into the night. The Marauders and Lily were now sitting in the Common Room during afternoon tea, discussing everything Lily had just told them.

"Lily, maybe you should seek him out, see what he wanted. It could prove useful to the Order," Remus suggested.

"NO!" Peter suddenly yelled out. His four friends looked, alarmed, at him. James' eyes narrowed.

"Something you need to tell us, Wormtail?" He hissed.

Peter blanched. "Uh–I mean–it's not that–it might be a trap, ri-righ-right?" He stuttered.

"Right..." muttered Sirius. Both he and Remus were looking strangely at Peter too. "I've had enough of this," he continued sternly, turning to Lily. "Lily, just stay away from him. I'm serious. It's no good. He got himself into this. If he's in trouble, he can get himself out." And with that Sirius stalked up the stairs to the boys' dormitory. Peter squeaked something about having to go to the library and ran out through the portrait hole.

James gaped at Lily and Remus. "What the _bloody_ hell is wrong with everyone?"

* * *

The next few months went by quickly for the seventh year students. N.E.W.T. preparations took a lot of their time, and the rest was spent catching up on the excessive amounts of work their teachers kept assigning. Halloween flew by, and soon Hogwarts was being decorated for the Christmas feast. Twelve-foot high pine trees were decorated with snow and glittering strings of faerie lights. Dumbledore had announced a week before the Christmas holidays that the atmosphere at Hogwarts had grown far too gloomy for his liking, and that to spread the holiday cheer, a ball would take place on Christmas Eve for any fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh years who wished to stay at school. Naturally, anyone who could, would.

Dumbledore's hopes to boost excitement throughout the school were fulfilled. Half the school was in frenzy. All thoughts of Regulus had escaped Lily's mind over the past couple of months as her workload increased dramatically. Quidditch and her Head Girl duties made it impossible for her to concentrate on anything but school, not to mention the fact that she did not really want to think about it.

The Wednesday before the ball, Sirius and Lily were waiting in the Great Hall for the rest of the Marauders to join them for lunch.

"No, Lily, stop it, I'm not following your bloody schedule," Sirius sighed irritably.

"But it'll help! We need to prepare for our N.E.W.T.'s in a proficient manner, otherwise all this work will be worth nothing! Just let me organize a study schedule, I'll leave you alone after, I promise," Lily pleaded, grinning.

"You are so full of it, Evans," Sirius laughed. "So tell me how many blokes have you turned down so far?"

"An organized timetable's all you need to– what do you mean?" Lily reached for her bag and began rummaging in it in fake concentration.

"The ball, what else? How many?" Sirius looked amused as she blushed deeply.

"I have no idea what–" Lily started, furious at herself but was interrupted as Roger Clarke, a handsome boy and captain of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team, walked up to the Gryffindor table.

"Lily, Black," he nodded in greeting, his blue eyes twinkling under brown hair brushed softly across his forehead. He grinned and turned to Lily. "Erm, sorry to interrupt, but may I have a word?"

"Oh, um, sure," Lily agreed, hesitantly. He led her out of earshot of curious Ravenclaws and Sirius' suspicious glare, as Lily dreaded what was about to happen. She knew Roger only from Transfiguration, which Gryffindors shared with Ravenclaws, and now he was in a few of her N.E.W.T. classes. Being from different Houses, all she knew about him was the gossip Laurel passed on every night in the dormitory.

"Sorry, to just barge in like that," he smiled nervously. "I was just wondering, I mean, I know you've probably gotten asked already, but I thought I'd give it a shot. I was just wondering if you had a date for the ball yet?"

Lily smiled sadly, and shook her head. "No, I don't, but–"

His face brightened, and she felt lower than the scum at the bottom of the lake. "Would you maybe like to go with me?" He asked hopefully.

"I'm sorry, Roger, really I am. You seem like a great person, and I'd love to get to know you better, but I'm just...not sure if I'm even going to the ball yet."

"Oh."

"I'm sorry," she muttered again.

She was surprised when he smiled understandingly. "Don't worry about it. Just...let me know if you change your mind? Or maybe we can go to Hogsmeade sometime. As friends," he added, quickly.

Lily nodded. "I'd like that." She walked reluctantly back to the Gryffindor table, knowing what was awaiting her. Sirius was still sitting there, smiling smugly as he drank a goblet of pumpkin juice. He set it down slowly and looked at Lily expectantly, one hand stroking his chin. "So that makes..."

"Four."

Sirius let out a short bark of laughter. "He'll come around, don't worry."

Lily glared at him, as James sprinted towards them.

That night Lily had a particularly long night of patrolling the corridors, among everything else. Lily had been brewing the Wolfsbane potion for Remus secretly since the start of school, a potion that proved to be the hardest Lily had ever attempted. In a moment of despair, she had run to Professor Slughorn for help. Though shocked at what she was attempting to brew, he had promised to not ask any questions and provided her with ingredients and even a private room just off his classroom in which to prepare the potion.

At the Common Room, Lily finished the last line of her Transfiguration essay at 8:55, and began packing away her things. James, who had been snoring lightly, his quill poised over his parchment and making a giant inkblot, woke with a start.

"Where are you goin'?" He asked groggily, rubbing his eyes.

"I've got night duty remember?" She poked him lightly in the ribs. "Finish your essay, Potter, I doubt McGonagall will be impressed with a massive inkblot."

"Wha-what?" He yawned, and grinned as he caught sight of his parchment. "Ah, it's a masterpiece, Evans, can't you see I am artistically representing the complexity of the transfiguration of a bird into a broom?" He got up and starting putting away his things as well.

"Wait, what are you doing?"

"I'm coming with you, Evans, what do you think! I'm Head Boy, don't you know?" James opened the portrait hole and climbed out, as Lily stood rooted to her spot. He popped his head back in. "You coming?"

Lily nodded and followed him out. The corridors were beginning to empty as it neared curfew, and James and Lily soon found themselves in a dark and slightly eerie Hogwarts. Lily took her wand out and enchanted a light to float in front of them and light the way. Every once in a while, they'd come across fellow prefects, who all gave a cheery hello, but gave James a questioning look. James winked at all of them, strutting about the place as if he owned it.

"Potter, do you have to be such a toerag? Why did you even come, your shift's not till later," Lily muttered, walking ahead.

James caught up. "I dunno, I always thought night duty was lonely. Isn't it better having me here to keep you company?" He grinned sweetly.

"Night shifts are always pretty lonely," she agreed. "It's...good that you're here." _'It's good that you're here?' _All of the sudden Lily really wanted to go hide somewhere.

James laughed. "Remember when you hated me, Evans? You'd probably be hexing the living daylights out of me right now. I'm glad you came to your senses."

"Don't push it, Potter," she laughed. After a slight pause, she continued, "but I'm glad too." James smiled as he looked down at the stone floor, rumpling his hair again. He stopped walking, suddenly. Lily walked a few paces ahead before she noticed. "What's wrong?"

"Ah...what changed?"

"What?"

"Why am I bearable now?"

"James..."

"I just want to know." He had a look in his eyes that Lily couldn't quite figure out. Truth be told, she really was not sure what had changed. _Had_ he changed? Or had she?

"You...you're no longer on me about going out with you..." She began.

"Yeah, I figured," James cut in, grinning slightly.

"And–and I guess I know you now. I didn't really know you then, did I?" It was now her turn to look down at the stone floor. She heard James shuffling his feet nervously before he began to laugh. Lily looked up, surprised. "What?" She asked, smiling a bit.

He stepped closer and reached out to brush a lock of hair back from her face. Lily froze. But she was not repulsed; she didn't want to curse him. "Promise you won't hate me again?" He asked quietly.

"James, I highly doubt–"

"Go to the ball with me, Lily." His voice echoed in the empty hallway. It wasn't really a question, more of a hope, and Lily couldn't help but be drawn in by his intense stare and confident stance.

For once, Lily didn't need to think about something. Slowly she nodded. "Okay, Potter," she whispered.

The two continued walking down the hallway as a Hufflepuff prefect walked by. He looked after them wondering what James Potter was doing walking around the darkened halls of Hogwarts with Lily Evans. His question was answered when he saw James take Lily's hand in his own. Maybe anything _was _possible at Hogwarts.

* * *

James ran down the boy's dormitory stairs, panting, as Sirius was hot on his tail, screaming at the top of his lungs. Remus and Peter followed, laughing at James' alarm.

"WOOOOO!" Sirius yelped as he flew at James again and tackled him on the rug. "Prongs! Bloody hell, I thought I'd be old and ugly before I'd see you and Evans together!"

"Sirius–getoffme! Arghh, can't– breathe–"

"Who cares! You don't need to breathe, you've got Evans!" He cried out, pretending to swoon.

"Speak of the devil..." Remus muttered, amused.

Lily had just appeared at the top of the girl's dormitory stairs, now looking down at the tangle that was Sirius and James. Sirius did not miss a beat.

"LILYKINS!"

"Run, Lily!" James cried out.

Eventually they managed to subdue Sirius enough to go down to breakfast. As soon as Lily and James entered the Great Hall, the Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables broke into a tumult of applause. Blushing furiously, they managed to scarf down a decent breakfast.

The next day and a half flew by in a torrent of holiday homework and overly-enthusiastic suits of armor, who insisted on assaulting anyone who was unfortunate enough to get too close, and forcing them to listen to several badly-sung carols. Friday night drew closer, and the school transformed into the very pinnacle of holiday cheer.

In the Gryffindor Common Room she found a very disheveled Sirius, his cheeks red from the cold and his winter clothes covered in snow. He grinned as Lily made her way to the fireplace where he sat.

"Warming up a bit?" She asked, smiling as a blob of slush flopped onto his lap.

Sirius winked. "Yeah, wanna help?"

"Charming," Lily muttered sarcastically, but her face grew worried. Sirius noticed this and sighed.

"You haven't been listening to me, have you?" he asked matter-of-factly. Lily looked confused, so he continued. "I'm thrilled 'bout you and Prongs."

Lily raised her eyebrows, uncertain.

"Okay, I can't just turn off the flirting, I did declare my love for you, for Merlin's sake," Sirius exclaimed, getting up and enveloping Lily in a particularly wet hug. Lily breathed in the scent of him, a mix of cologne, butterbeer, and the tiniest hint of loveable, black dog. And just like that, she knew he was telling the truth.

As Lily made her way up to the girl's dormitory to get ready that afternoon, she heard numerous voices calling out her name from outside Gryffindor Tower. Moving to the window, she looked down at a very flushed James, being ambushed by enchanted snowballs from his fellow Gryffindor mates. They pointed behind them as James grinned up at her. In the snow behind them, they had written the initials "L.E. + J.P." inside a heart.

Laughing, she charmed a few snowballs their way, before moving away from the window.


	9. Chapter 9: The Last Warning

**A/N: From now on no more changes! but I would love more feedback...**

* * *

**Chapter 9**

The Last Warning

The Great Hall looked beautiful under the moonlight of the enchanted ceiling. Holiday music reached Lily's ears as she made her way down the Grand Staircase. She could not help but be nervous. And yet, she didn't mind. These past two years had been like something out of someone else's life. Some things were more important than school, teachers and N.E.W.T.'s. As families were torn apart, as friends were murdered by Voldemort, she found herself cherishing the friendships she had managed to find in the four boys she used to despise.

And now, as she climbed down the last few steps, her bottle-green satin dress robes floating behind her, she was sorry she hadn't found them earlier.

Nearing the entrance to the Great Hall, she saw him. His hair was styled in casual elegance for once, his hazel eyes set off by handsome black-tuxedo dress robes. Nervously, she reached up to check her hair, which was tied in an elegant knot at the nape of her neck, auburn tendrils spilling onto her shoulders. Lily was suddenly horrifyingly aware of how awkward her hands felt at her sides. The icy steps beneath her satin shoes threatened to give way at the slightest slip. Her dress robes suddenly seemed too long, her hair too red, and her mouth too dry. She racked her brain for something incredibly witty to utter, and was extremely thankful when James beat her to the punch.

"Evans," James grinned, offering his arm. That familiar feeling of warmth and comfort that always enveloped her when she was around James calmed her. She took his arm, smiling, as they joined Dumbledore and Hogwarts, in a night of cheery frivolity.

* * *

"Where'd he get _firewhiskey_?" Lily asked, confused. James and she managed to slump a near-unconscious Peter onto one of the comfortable chairs that had been placed around the Great Hall. The ball was still in full progress, but a frantic Remus, who had found Peter passed out behind one of the gigantic Christmas trees, a bottle of firewhiskey in his hand, had interrupted Lily and James' dancing.

"Reckon he nicked it from one of the teacher's tables," Remus muttered, bemused.

"Sure has been acting strange lately," Sirius mused.

"Stranger, you mean," James corrected him, laughing. "He'll be fine. If he's not, serves him right for being such a git."

"If you say so, mate!" Sirius winked at Lily and strutted off to join a group of pretty sixth year girls. The band of elves struck up a pretty slow song as Lily and James made their way to the refreshment table. James was pouring them some butterbeer sprouting from a huge ice fountain, when a high-pitched scream caused him to drop the cup he was holding. Lily turned to see Madison, dressed in shocking pink robes, prancing towards them.

"What the–" James started, but was soon overcome by the wave of bright pink chiffon and silky black hair that was Madison. Lily looked on as Madison continued to giggle uncontrollably and hug James. James, however, was looking at Lily with a look of horror frozen on his face.

"Madison!" James gasped, wrenching her arms away from his neck. "What the bloody hel–"

"You and Lily!" She beamed. "I knew it, James, I just knew it. You were just too in –"

"YES, well, it's great," James smiled awkwardly. "If you'd excuse us…" He touched Lily's elbow as he worked his way around a still-beaming Madison. Lily studied his stoic face and wondered at his rather less-than-enthusiastic reaction. Sure, Madison was a little over-the-top, but she meant well.

As James approached another bubbling butterbeer fountain, Lily scanned the Great Hall slowly. The scene before her was really unlike anything she had seen before. Professor Dumbledore was gracefully revolving around the dance floor with a rather distressed-looking Professor McGonagall in his arms, despite the fact that the band of elves had suddenly struck a very raucous rock version of "Silent Night."

Her gaze quickly passed over the decadent buffet table to an unusually dark corner of the Hall. A group of Slytheryns had cursed away all the faerie lights within a five-foot radius. Nearby, a flock of squeaking and extremely disgruntled faeries were plotting their revenge, casting occasional furtive looks at the dark mass of Slytheryns huddled in the corner. Suddenly, as if conscious of Lily's stare, one of the huddled figures looked up and locked eyes with her. Cold dark blue eyes bore into her emerald green ones, as the mouth twisted into a scowl. Regulus muttered something quietly to his group, never looking away from Lily, and then brusquely walked away.

A gnawing feeling at the pit of Lily's stomach told her something was not right.

"Lily, you okay?" James worried face swam into her field of vision.

Lily shook her head a little, and smiled. "Yeah, sure." She walked quickly towards the huge fireplace, embers crackling warmly in contrast to icy décor of the rest of the room.

James followed, unconvinced. "Listen—I didn't mean to be such a git back there—"

"James, it's fine, I—"

"I just don't want you to—"

"Really, it doesn't matter—"

"I don't want you to hate me, Lily!" James looked desperately at her. "You said it yourself. You like me better because I'm not after you all the time. But Lily the thing is, I've been after you since the moment I saw you, even now!"

He sounded slightly angry now. "I know you're just as fond of Sniv- I mean Snape. But maybe you could—"

James stopped talking abruptly as Lily stepped closer to him, her face upturned to his. "If you could just…just…" His lips met hers lightly, and it was just as Lily had imagined it, a moment of blissful oblivion, never-ending and yet too transient. He reluctantly pulled back, one hand cupping her chin gently, hazel eyes looking intently at her.

"I love you, Lily."

A loud bang resonated in the Great Hall, as the room was suddenly cast into complete darkness. A chill of dread crept up Lily's spine. Her nightmare came flooding back…that wall of darkness…those piercing red eyes…_the folly of bravery_…

"James!" She whispered.

"Here, Lily, I'm here," he whispered back reassuringly, his strong arms pulling her closer. The hall was oddly silent; until suddenly a scream pierced the darkness and pandemonium broke loose. A hundred wands were illuminated simultaneously as their owners frantically tried to shove their way towards the obscure doorway.

Lily cried out in pain as someone stepped on her foot, shoving her away from James.

"LILY! LILY?" James added to the torrent of panic. "Where—"

"_Mosmorde_!" cried a chorus of voices in the darkness. Instantly, a glowing green skull with a snake protruding from its mouth ascended into the darkness above. Panic settled into terrified awe.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" cried the disembodied voice of Albus Dumbledore. A clap of thunder bounced off the stonewalls of the Great Hall and the skull burst into a million shimmering pieces, now illuminating the hall in its ghostly green light. Lily could make out a wall of cloaked figures standing defiantly across the room, facing a very stern-looking Dumbledore. "What is the meaning of this, Mr. Black?" Dumbledore said calmly, a deadly edge to his usually unruffled demeanor.

Then she heard it. That same, high-pitched, icy voice. Regulus' mouth moved along with the strange voice, his face frozen in a menacing scowl.

"_This is your warning, Dumbledore_," the voice hissed, almost chuckling. _"Should it be your last?" _Regulus stroked his wand almost lovingly.

"Don't be silly, Tom," Dumbledore's whispered, eyes flashing under half-moon spectacles.

"_You dare utter that filthy name!"_ Regulus snarled, nostrils flaring. Lily noticed the petulant tone in the strangely high voice, almost like a child's.

"Worthy of the owner, I believe. Now, leave. And do not threaten the safety of my students again, Tom. I will not stand for it a second time." With that, Dumbledore flourished his wand. The air seemed to be sucked out of the room, as an enormous swirling mass of fiery wind enveloped Regulus. The wall of cloaked figures fled at the sight, but Dumbledore made no motion to stop them.

The room was once more thrown into darkness. Dumbledore's calm voice washed over them, as the lights illuminated the hall once more. "Please proceed to your dormitories as quickly as possible. You will be safe. Anyone injured, you may follow Professor McGonnagall to the infirmary. There is no need to worry."

Regulus was nowhere to be seen.

Lily trudged slowly up the stairs to the Gryffindor dormitory. Jumpy and very disheveled students were hurrying past her, casting furtive looks behind them whenever they thought no one else was looking.

She had not been able to find James. And after all that had happened that night, that was the only thing that worried her at the moment. Slowly, the images from her dream crept back into her head; how closely correlated they were to tonight's events. But…James had told her he loved her, hadn't he?

All thought of Regulus vanished from her mind. Smiling, she climbed through the portrait hole into the Gryffindor common room, where James stood in front of the fireplace; eye bruised and arm heavily bandaged, waiting for her.


	10. Chapter 10: Forever

**A/N: Sorry this took so long! Hope the wait was worth it?**

* * *

**Chapter 10**

Forever

Flashes from her dream returned as James gazed at her intently from the fireplace. But the cold feeling that crept up Lily's spine dissipated as his mouth melted into a half-smile, and he moved slowly towards her, flinching with every move.

"What _happened_ to you?" She questioned kindly, searching his eyes.

James blushed and lowered his eyes. "Well, you see—I kind of—" He took a deep breath and jutted his chest out a bit, a defiant look in his eye. "It looks worse than it is. But when I saw those Slytherins, I knew there would be trouble. So I tried to sneak up behind them—"

"—And managed to get caught in a pack of hysterical girls," Sirius snorted with laughter as he made his way towards them from across the Common Room.

"Padfoot, do you _mind_? That is _not_ what happened."

Sirius raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, that is not _all_ that happened. They only scratched me up a bit. But what I was saying is that I stumbled straight into your friend, Snivellus. He wasn't too pleased. While the rest of his Death Eater friends gawked up at the Death Mark, he cursed me from behind…" James winced as he moved the bandage on his arm.

Lily gasped. A gaping wound, almost s-shaped still shone crimson against the smooth skin of his arm.

"You should have seen the other bloke," James grinned. "I think he was aiming for my back, but missed. Figures. Anyway, I lost it. Got rid of his wand and went after him the old-fashioned way. He got me in the eye, but I think I knocked him out with one to the jaw."

Lily was stunned that Snape would use _Sectumsempra_ on James without provocation. Something told her that James wasn't being completely truthful, but she let it slide for now. There were other things to worry about.

"What was that about anyway?" Sirius mused. "Sort of taking it to the next level, aren't they?"

"They're suicidal to do that at Hogwarts," James declared, slumping into a chair.

"I don't think they really had a choice," Lily joined in. "Did you hear Regulus' voice? It wasn't him; I don't think he had control of his actions." She paused, turning to look out the window. Rain was falling against the windowpane, the grey clouds in the sky hiding any sign of the abnormal. She could feel it in the air; that feeling that something big was coming, that this was only the beginning and it was only going to get worse. _He_ was out there.

"Voldemort," she whispered

A warm hand squeezed her shoulder. "Lily, don't worry too much about this. It's just a stupid prank," James tried to hide the worry coating his own voice.

Lily's green eyes flashed. "Don't give me that, Potter. You know what's happening better that I do. He's coming, isn't he? And no one's doing anything about it. Who's going to protect us _Mudbloods_ when he does? Who will look out for our families?" She challenged him fiercely, daring him to look away, to contradict her.

Surprisingly, he held her gaze. In a low voice that Lily could only hear, he confidently answered her questions.

"I will."

* * *

The rest of the holiday passed without incident. The majority of Slytherins had taken refuge in their snow-covered mansions, and that was just fine with the rest of Hogwarts. Lily received a box of chocolates from Honeydukes from Remus, a poorly drawn card from Peter, and a rather ugly Christmas jumper that spontaneously burst into carols from an embarrassed Sirius.

Still, Lily treasured the thought.

As the holidays came to a close, Lily decided to take on the pile of homework awaiting her. One evening, sitting at a table in the Common Room, surrounded by books about werewolves, ancient runes, and the ethics on transforming a person into a toad, Lily gasped as a little red box tied with a green and gold bow floated towards her from the portrait hole. As the glittering box landed lightly on the table in front of her it began singing a rather dramatic version of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." Lily sat, staring as the box sprouted little legs and proceeded to do back flips across the table. Finally, on its last quavering note, it launched itself at her face. Lily ducked in panic, and it slammed into the wall behind her and onto the floor, quivering occasionally.

Convinced that it would not attack her again, Lily knelt beside it and smiled. Whoever had sent this had certainly put a lot of effort into it. Ripping the wrapping paper back, she found a blue velvet box that contained a gold locket on a thin chain. As she opened it, the tiniest phoenix popped its head up, chirping lightly as it unfolded its wings.

"Oh, you little thing," she cooed, as the figurine flew in circles around the locket. She picked up the locket and the phoenix nestled inside it once more, leaving a trail of gold dust in his wake. She clasped it carefully around her neck, smiling, as the warmth of the metal against her skin seemed to spread, enfolding her in an invisible embrace.

Lily searched everywhere for James, finding him, finally, flying high above the Quidditch pitch, Sirius tailing him closely as he headed to score in one of the golden rings framing the field.

The sun shining on her face, Lily had to smile as Remus dived for the quaffle and was sent spiraling on his broomstick as an over-eager Peter tried to block him. She walked slowly towards one of the stands and made her way to the wooden stairs to climb to the top. A cold wind blew off the lake, causing her to wrap her wool coat more tightly around her. Her Gryffindor scarf blew away ahead of her, and Lily hurried to catch up with it as it threatened to blow over the edge of the stair railing. Reaching for its frayed eyes, she heard it; a soft chuckle that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

Lily turned slowly, one hand holding her scarf too tightly and the other instinctively reaching for the wand inside her robes.

His face was different; still thin, still sharp in the corners, but his dark blue eyes were fierce in a different way, his mouth wasn't twisted into his usual menacing scowl. Lily's hand stopped reaching for her wand as he smiled, almost kindly.

"Looking for someone?" he inquired in a whisper. His eyes lingered for a moment on the gold locket around her neck.

Lily looked at him curiously. "I could ask you that same thing."

"I come here to think," he answered bluntly.

"New hobby?" Lily retorted.

His eyes flashed in the stream of sunlight that found its way through the railing. And then, most unexpectedly, he laughed, a real laugh, and combed his fingers through his silky black hair in a manner reminiscent of James. "All right, Evans," he said softly. "I deserve that."

Lily had no idea what was happening. Was this still the same boy who had been possessed by You-Know-Who? Who had conjured the Dark Mark in front of Dumbledore?

Regulus Black continued to watch her speculation calmly; his glance stealing occasionally to the gold heart nestled on her collarbone. "Present?" he asked, motioning to it.

Lily instinctively reached up to clasp the locket in her hand. "Yes," she answered cautiously. "It's from a friend."

Regulus frowned. "Him?" he nodded to the Quidditch field, where James and his friends were still zooming around.

Lily nodded, hesitantly. Well, she wasn't _quite_ sure yet. There had been no card. But who else could it be? Regulus' attention returned to observing her, as if he could read her thoughts. He stepped towards her slowly, his gaze never leaving hers. As the sun set on the horizon, more golden light flooded the narrow staircase. But as he neared, the locket seemed to glow with a light of its own, heat radiating against her skin.

"You," Lily whispered. Letting the locket fall from her fingers as if it had burned her, Lily tried to hide her confusion and the strange urge to rip the locket from her neck and drop it into the lake. Regulus noticed this, and his face darkened against the bright sunlight.

"Lily, I've tried to explain, to tell you—"

She backed away slowly. Inside the pocket of her robes, she was grasping her wand with white knuckles. Her other reached up the locket and unclasped it.

"No!" Regulus hissed, his face now desperate. "Please, just listen. Don't shut me out. Not yet."

"So what, Regulus? Is it cursed? Does the phoenix turn into a snake at night? Would it poison me in my sleep? What? Not brave enough to kill a _Mudblood_ in person?" Lily raged against the thoughts she had considered, that he was normal, that he was good. How could she have been so thick to accept a gift without knowing whom it was from?

"_Listen_," he hissed, more fiercely this time, his wand pointing at her. "Who do you think you are to assume you know everything about me? I bet my brother has filled your pretty little head with stories about his evil little brother, hasn't he?"

Lily remained silent, slowly taking her own wand out of her pocket. But she couldn't get anything past Regulus. He noticed her motion, and he seemed to realize what he was doing. He lowered his wand, and once again met Lily's gaze. "I though you of all people would understand the danger of labels," he continued. "You always try to see the best in Snape. Why can't you see that I need you to give me the same benefit of the doubt?"

Lily's temper flared. How dare he guilt-trip her? "I don't owe you anything, Regulus. You've given me no reason to give you any benefit. Remember that time on the train? What about this summer? A _week_ ago? Do you have a twin, I don't know about? Because that would explain a lot." She made to descend the wooden stairs back to the field, but he grabbed her wrist almost by reflex. Lily whipped her wand out and pressed in against his neck. "How do I even know this is really you? Where is your master, Regulus? Is he listening in?"

He looked slowly from her wand, back to her face, and let go of her arm. "You need to be careful who you trust," he declared, his features more serious than Lily had ever seen them. "Just because Potter and my brother are blind doesn't mean you have to be."

Lily turned her back on him and made her way down the stairs, hearing his light footsteps behind her.

"He will betray you," Regulus muttered, as if commenting on the weather.

Lily scoffed. "Who?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"_Wormtail_," Regulus hissed.

Lily gaped at him. "How do you know that name?"

Regulus ignored her question. "Whether he's acting of his own accord, I don't know. But all the same, Lily, just don't trust him. Sirius already dismissed my warning as an attempt to split the dream team…" he paused. "Is that what you think?"

Lily turned to look at him, squinting against the bright sunlight. A genuine worry played across his face, as his dark blue eyes, unusually clear and bright, seemed to implore her to believe his incredible words. She didn't respond, and instead started walking towards the opposite end of the field, where James, Sirius, Lupin, and Peter were talking excitedly.

As she walked away, she heard him whisper her name, his voice too close, as if his mouth were speaking in her ear. At the same moment she realized she was still holding the locket. Her fingers stroked the smooth metal, and suddenly, as if written by a tiny, invisible quill, a word appeared, etched into the golden surface of the heart: _Forever_.

The one word glinted even though the sun was well below the horizon. Regulus' voice whispered again, "I would never hurt you, Lily."

She turned, expecting to see him smirking at her, making fun of her. But, like the sun, he was gone.


	11. Chapter 11: Time

**A/N: Hey all. I thought I would point out that I've gone back and tweaked a few things to make more sense from the books. If you look at the first chapter it will explain it better. Each chapter has an author's note pointing out major changes. It doesn't really interfere with the story now, but it might be more fun to read and some of the new scenes are nice :) **

**Enjoy, and please please R/R! It will make me write faster, I promise.**

* * *

**Chapter 11**

Time

James squinted against the sun, shielding his eyes from the glare off the Quidditch field. He smiled as a flash of red hair appeared from one of the stands. The girl was in a hurry—to see him perhaps? James' smile vanished as he saw another figure, dark-haired, light-skinned, following her. She stopped to look at him. Said something. Then quickly continued her trek across the field. Once again she stopped, but suddenly this time. As if she had forgotten something.

"Oi, Potter!" Sirius slapped him on the back. "You coming to dinner, or what?"

James ignored him. Lily was now looking at her hand as if she were seeing it for the first time. Or maybe it was something in her hand? Why wouldn't this bloody sun set already?

"Hello?" Sirius' face bobbed into view, hands waving in James' eyes. "You okay, mate?"

He saw him. Regulus. He mouthed something, then darted off quietly into the stands. Lily turned, as if she had heard him.

"Oh I see," Sirius laughed, following James' line of vision. Lily was walking towards them now, a smile plastered on her face. James decided to wait till later to ask her about what he had seen. For now…he had a Christmas gift to bestow.

* * *

Lily was cold despite the warm fire in the Gryffindor Common Room. She had accompanied the Marauders to dinner, and now was tackling the now small pile of homework she was supposed to have done over break. Sirius was snoring lightly on one of the comfortable couches surrounding the great fireplace. Remus and Peter had turned in early, leaving Lily and James to finally face each other.

James sat across the mahogany table, occasionally glancing up at her from his Transfiguration book. Seeing that Lily had abandoned her Defense Against the Dark Arts essay, he smiled. Lily tried to return his cheerfulness, but found herself thinking of the locket sitting in her pocket.

James' smile faltered slightly. He reached across the table, and for the first time since the ball, grasped Lily's hand in his own, without a word. Lily felt as if her entire arm were on fire, all thoughts of Regulus escaping her. For the first time that night, she looked him in the eyes, those perfect hazel eyes blazing with a million things unsaid—and yet she heard him loud and clear.

Carefully James stood and led her out the portrait hole, and down the darkened halls of Hogwarts. She followed without thinking, as they snuck out to the grounds in the moonlight. It wasn't before they reached the large willow overlooking the lake that James stopped.

"I've been meaning to give you your Christmas present for the longest time…" he began.

"Oh, well, that's okay, I don't mind…" Lily fell silent as James placed a finger to her lips.

"I couldn't just give it to you. I feel like it needs a little explanation. At least." He placed his hand in pocket, and showed her the delicate ring in his palm. A bright emerald was nestled in intricate gold bands. It glinted in the moonlight, almost mischievously.

"I know I've been an obnoxious git. I know I've made your life hell at times. But despite all that, I've loved you forever, Evans. And I'd reckon a guess that I will continue to do so for a long…long time." He drifted off, holding out his palm to Lily.

A thousand thoughts were racing through Lily's head. But suddenly everything came to a screeching halt, and the only thing she saw was James, hair ruffled and face tanned on that summer night, laughing as he twirled her around. What had Dumbledore said at the beginning of the year? This was the time to find friendship, maybe more. In the end, that's what mattered.

* * *

James' arm was getting tired. He didn't dare move, for fear he would give Lily the wrong idea. So he stared at her, his palm still outstretched, muscles tightening and aching, as she seemed lost in thought, biting her lip, her green eyes calculating. It was all up to her now. She had to decide what she really wanted—and hopefully before his arm fell off.

Suddenly something seemed to click. Her gaze was fierce, as she reached out and placed the ring on her finger. James stood rooted to the spot, hardly believing that this was finally happening. And then she was in his arms, her lips pressed against his, and it was unlike anything he could have imagined. One hand in her sweet-smelling hair and one arm wrapped around her, holding on, because if this moment stopped everything would be a little less perfect. He wanted to taste her lips forever, to bask in the knowledge that the girl he'd always loved wanted to be with him.

Lily backed away a little, her fingers tracing the line of his jaw, the promise ring glinting on her delicate hand. She leaned in, her lips softly brushing his, and whispered, "I love you," not realizing it was what James had been waiting to hear since their first year at Hogwarts.

* * *

The next few weeks passed by, the weather getting progressively warmer. As April neared, the workload increased in preparation for N.E.W.T.'s. Despite the looming tests, Lily spent more and more time with James. They enjoyed trips to Hogsmeade, walks in the moonlight, and had even ventured to the Shrieking Shack for a night of raucous fun with Remus, Peter, and Sirius.

James and Lily had not really shared the events of that moonlit night by the lake with anyone. Lily figured once school was over, James and she could properly talk and inform their friends of their future plans. If they had any.

Lily had spent the previous night staring at the ceiling of her four-poster bed, absentmindedly twirling the ring on her finger, thinking of just that. Today, she was grateful that she did not have any classes until that afternoon. She met James at breakfast. They grabbed toast, muffins, and a flask of pumpkin juice, and headed to the lake to enjoy the warm weather.

Once under the usual willow tree, Lily took her Transfiguration notes from the inside of her robes and began to review them. James glanced at her and chuckled.

"Are you serious, Evans? How can you study on a day like this?" He wrapped an arm around her waist and scooted her closer to her side.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Just because you claim yourself a genius who doesn't need to study, Potter, doesn't mean the rest of us don't need to."

"That's exactly what it means! Think about it, if I'm a genius, what does that make you?" James grinned, twirling Lily's hair between his fingers.

"Mental? For hanging out with the likes of you?" Lily returned his grin, putting her notes down.

James laughed again, leaning back against the tree, his arms crossed behind his head. He sighed, as Lily leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I could definitely be done with school already," he mused. "Couldn't you?"

Lily turned to face him, lying on the grass with her chin propped in her hand. "I guess so. I'm going to miss this place though," she said, gazing up at the branches of the great willow tree. "Little Whinging just isn't the same."

"Who says you have to go back there?" James questioned. "I mean, after we get married, we can find a place of our own, you wouldn't ever have to go back if you didn't want to…" James stopped, as if realizing what he had just said.

Lily smiled, surprised. "James Potter, you are unlike anyone I've ever met."

"Hopefully that's a good thing," he whispered, sheepishly. His face grew more serious. "Lily…I meant what I said. I want to be with you. For as long as I can. To take care of you. But…"

"But what?"

"I need to know that's what you want to. That there's not something holding you back. Or someone." James averted his eyes, looking a little guilty.

Lily sat up again, facing him. "Is this about Severus? Because I thought we were over this, I'm no longer friends with him."

"No," James said quickly. "I meant…do you remember that day? At the Quidditch pitch? The day I gave you the ring?"

Lily's blood went cold as she remembered the locket and Regulus' warning. She nodded slowly.

James continued. "I thought I saw you talking to Black. I didn't know what to think at the time so I didn't mention it but…" he looked at her imploringly.

Lily took a deep breath and told James everything. How she thought the locket had been from James, how Regulus had found her, had told her that Peter would betray her, and how the locket had, in fact, been from Regulus himself.

When she finished, James looked as if someone had punched him in the stomach.

"So—so he was _warning_ you? Against our best friend?" James looked at her, as if expecting her to tell him it was all a joke.

Lily nodded. "I don't really know whether to trust him. But he seemed so sincere. And…well, it seems like he cares, doesn't it?"

James snapped out of his surprise and scoffed. "Lily, he's mental. I wouldn't talk to him anymore, if I were you. Not that I'm telling you what to do," he added, as Lily's eyes sharpened.

After a few more moments of silence he spoke again. "What about that locket?"

Lily glanced into his face, which showed his hurt and jealously, but above all the unbelievable love he held for her.

"It's gone," she whispered, wrapping her arms around him.

* * *

Around lunchtime, Lily snuck away from the Marauder's boisterous conversation in the Great Hall, and determinedly strode across the grounds to the Quidditch pitch. It took her a few minutes to remember which stand it was, but as she strode up the wooden staircase, she was sure this was where she had met him.

She took the locket out of her robes gingerly. It shone as brightly as ever, warm against her touch. She opened it one last time, almost laughing as the tiny phoenix popped its head out and flapped its wings. It looked a little sad, and did not take flight as it had before.

Lily closed it once more, and hooked the chain on one of the wooded posts of the railing. Without looking back, she climbed down the stairs and started back towards the castle.

Before they knew it, N.E.W.T.'s week was in full motion, and the seventh years were in a panic. Lily was more than glad to get her tests over and done with, and felt relatively confident that she would pass with more than satisfactory notes. Soon, she had only her Runes test left, and although the Marauders tried on several occasions to distract her, she was faithful to the last.

The afternoon after her test, Lily found herself lounging by the lake watching James and Sirius play with a stolen snitch. Peter and Remus were excitedly discussing their N.E.W.T.'s and how many they would each receive. A small first year approached Lily and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Are you Lily Evans?" He asked boldly, as Lily turned, surprised.

"Yes, that's me," she answered tentatively.

"Professor Dumbledore says to tell you 'it's time.' He wants to see you, James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew in his office after dinner." And with that, he walked away as suddenly as he had appeared.

Quite taken aback and wondering if Dumbledore meant what she thought he might, Lily relayed the message to the Marauders. That evening they all hurriedly ate dinner, and, as one, made their way to the gargoyle that marked the hidden entrance to the Headmaster's office.

After several minutes of guessing the most obscure sweets they could fathom, they guessed the correct password ('ice mice') and the gargoyle sprang aside. They made their way up the stairs, and Lily knocked on the door.

Dumbledore opened it with a flourish and a kind smile, but Lily could see in his bright blue eyes that something was seriously wrong.


End file.
